Research Catalog

Details

Additional authors

1. Graves, Denyce.
2. Damonte, Magali.
3. Shicoff, Neil.
4. Isaacs, Jeremy.
5. Domingo, Plácido, 1941-
6. Nunn, Trevor.
7. Bjørnson, Maria.
8. Bussell, Darcey
9. Sibley, Antoinette.
10. Dowell, Anthony
11. Solymosi, Zoltan
12. Allen, Thomas, 1944-
13. Nunn, Michael
14. Clinton, Bill, 1946-
15. Margaret, Princess, Countess of Snowdon, 1930-2002.
16. Carr, Christopher
17. Park, Merle.
18. Wright, Peter, 1926-
19. Payne, Nicholas.
20. Birtwistle, Harrison.
21. Haitink, Bernard, 1929-2021.
22. Albery, Tim.
23. Rozhdestvenskiĭ, Gennadiĭ.
24. Bernardi, Mario.
25. Cooper, Adam, 1971-
26. Benjamin, Leanne, 1964-
27. Chadwick, Fiona
28. Waldman, Michael.
29. Royal Opera House (London, England)
30. Royal Ballet.
31. Double Exposure (Firm)
32. British Broadcasting Corporation. Television Service.
33. Kultur International Films.
34. DHCA.

Description

1. 3 videocassettes (304 min.) : sd., col. NTSC; 1/2 in. (VHS)

Summary

1. Six-part documentary on the inside workings of the Royal Opera House, depicting its many recent vicissitudes in regard to its public image and marketing, finances, artists and repertory, management and labor. The program incorporates numerous brief interviews with artists, administrators, and other personnel, both backstage and front-of-house. Performance footage is interspersed with views behind the scenes, including meetings and conferences for artistic and managerial purposes as well as auditions, rehearsals, and the preparation of sets and costumes.

Uniform title

1. Sleeping beauty (Choreographic work : Dowell)
2. Nutcracker (Choreographic work : Wright after Ivanov)
3. Mayerling (Choreographic work : MacMillan)
4. Tales of Beatrix Potter (Choreographic work : Ashton)
5. Romeo and Juliet (Choreographic work : MacMillan)

Alternative title

1. Royal Opera House Covent Garden

Subject

1. Royal Opera House (London, England)
2. Ballet > England > 1990-
3. Opera > England > London
4. Opera > Production and direction
5. Dance companies > England > Management
6. Dance companies > Marketing
7. Labor unions > Theater employees
8. Child dancers

Genre/Form

1. Dance.
2. Music.
3. Documentaries and factual films and programs.
4. Video.
5. Dance rehearsals.

Contents

1. Cassette 1. Star struck (ca. 58 min.). Program centering on the Covent Garden debut of American mezzo-soprano Denyce Graves, in the title role of Carmen. Backstage drama ensues when illness prevents Graves from performing on press night, and a substitute, Magali Damonte, has to be prepared. Tenors Neil Shicoff and Plácido Domingo appear in the role of Don Jose.
2. Horse trading (ca. 49 min.). Tribulations of stage designer Maria Bjornson, who finds herself overburdened by her commitment to design two closely scheduled major productions, the Royal Opera's Katya Kabanova (directed by Trevor Nunn), and the Royal Ballet's The sleeping beauty (produced by Anthony Dowell). Scenes from both productions demonstrate the magnitude of her task. Principal ballerina Darcey Bussell, coached by Antoinette Sibley and partnered by Zoltán Solymosi, is seen rehearsing the role of Aurora in The sleeping beauty.
3. Cassette 2. Foot fault (ca. 49 min.). Thomas Allen appears as a last-minute substitute in the role of Count Almaviva in The marriage of Figaro. The physical hardship of dancing is underlined by scenes of a Royal Ballet rehearsal of Tales of Beatrix Potter, featuring a male dancer on pointe, and a sequence on dancer Michael Nunn's ankle surgery. The filmmakers follow the Royal Ballet to the U.S. for the world premiere of The sleeping beauty at Kennedy Center (attended by President Bill Clinton and Princess Margaret), and the events surrounding it.
4. High hopes (ca. 50 min.). An excerpt from Die Meistersinger prefaces scenes of labor negotiations with the union representing the stage crew. This program centers on the Royal Ballet's production of The nutcracker, from the auditions for child dancers at the Royal Ballet School to the opening night performance.
5. Cassette 3. Settling scores (ca. 49 min.). This program focuses on the Royal Opera, beginning with director Nicholas Payne's efforts to balance its budget. Innovative productions of Gawaine (by Sir Harrison Birtwistle), The magic flute and Cherubin (directed by Tim Albery) demonstrate the company's often controversial attempts to acquire new and experimental works, while excerpts from Tosca and Die Meistersinger represent its traditional repertory. This program includes appearances by conductors Bernard Haitink, Gennady Rozhdestvensky and Mario Bernardi.
6. Winning ticket (ca. 49 min.). Fighting battles on several fronts, the beleaguered Opera House staff tries to counter charges of elitism, makes cuts in personnel (including ballerina Fiona Chadwick) in an effort to decrease its deficit, and faces community opposition to its plans for the redevelopment of the building. Performance excerpts depict Kenneth MacMillan's ballets Mayerling (danced by Adam Cooper and Leanne Benjamin) and Romeo and Juliet (danced by Fiona Chadwick), as well as the opera Aida.

Call number

1. *MGZIA 4-3534

Credits (note)

1. Executive producer, Edward Mirzoeff.

Performer (note)

1. Narrator: Jancis Robinson.
2. Among the major administrators appearing in this series are: Jeremy Isaacs, general director, Royal Opera House ; Sir Anthony Dowell, director, Royal Ballet ; Nicholas Payne, director, Royal Opera ; Keith Cooper, director, public affairs ; Mike Morris, director, personnel.

Title

1. The Royal Opera House [videorecording] / produced by Double Exposure for BBC ; series directed by Michael Waldman ; series producer, Andrew Bethell.

Imprint

1. West Long Branch, N.J. : Kultur, c1995.

Country of producing entity

1. U.K.

Credits

1. Executive producer, Edward Mirzoeff.

Performer

1. Narrator: Jancis Robinson.
2. Among the major administrators appearing in this series are: Jeremy Isaacs, general director, Royal Opera House ; Sir Anthony Dowell, director, Royal Ballet ; Nicholas Payne, director, Royal Opera ; Keith Cooper, director, public affairs ; Mike Morris, director, personnel.

Added author

1. Graves, Denyce. Singer
2. Damonte, Magali. Singer
3. Shicoff, Neil. Singer
4. Isaacs, Jeremy. Depicted
5. Domingo, Plácido, 1941- Singer
6. Nunn, Trevor. Depicted
7. Bjørnson, Maria. Designer
8. Bussell, Darcey, dancer.
9. Sibley, Antoinette. Depicted
10. Dowell, Anthony, choreographer.
11. Solymosi, Zoltan, dancer.
12. Allen, Thomas, 1944- Singer
13. Nunn, Michael, dancer.
14. Clinton, Bill, 1946- Depicted
15. Margaret, Princess, Countess of Snowdon, 1930-2002. Depicted
16. Carr, Christopher, dancer.
17. Park, Merle. Depicted
18. Wright, Peter, 1926- choreographer.
19. Payne, Nicholas. Depicted
20. Birtwistle, Harrison. Composer
21. Haitink, Bernard, 1929-2021. Conductor
22. Albery, Tim. Director
23. Rozhdestvenskiĭ, Gennadiĭ. Conductor
24. Bernardi, Mario. Conductor
25. Cooper, Adam, 1971- dancer.
26. Benjamin, Leanne, 1964- dancer.
27. Chadwick, Fiona, dancer.
28. Waldman, Michael. Director
29. Royal Opera House (London, England)
30. Royal Ballet.
31. Double Exposure (Firm)
32. British Broadcasting Corporation. Television Service.
33. Kultur International Films.
34. DHCA.

Added title

1. Sleeping beauty (Choreographic work : Dowell)
2. Nutcracker (Choreographic work : Wright after Ivanov)
3. Mayerling (Choreographic work : MacMillan)
4. Tales of Beatrix Potter (Choreographic work : Ashton)
5. Romeo and Juliet (Choreographic work : MacMillan)

ISBN

1. 1561274828

Research call number

1. *MGZIA 4-3534