The Cellist
The Cellist | |
---|---|
Choreographer | Cathy Marston |
Music | Philip Feeney |
Libretto | Cathy Marston Edward Kemp |
Premiere | 17 February 2020 Royal Opera House |
Original ballet company | The Royal Ballet |
Design | Hildegard Bechtler Bregje van Balen |
Created for | Lauren Cuthbertson |
Genre | contemporary ballet |
The Cellist is a one-act ballet about British
Production
Conception
Choreographer Cathy Marston had worked with The Royal Ballet since 1997, but never on its main stage until The Cellist.[3] She first had the idea of using a dancer as a cello when she was making Dangerous Liaison for the Royal Danish Ballet as she wanted to avoid props. She then considered to make a ballet with a cello.[4] When Royal Ballet artistic director Kevin O'Hare asked Marston to give suggestions for a ballet,[5] which would be her first main stage production for the company,[3] her sister, a drama teacher who let her students improv with a cello, proposed using Jacqueline du Pré as the subject.[4][5] Du Pré was regarded as one of the best cellists of all time, but her career was cut short due to multiple sclerosis (MS), and she died at age 42.[5] Marston's mother having MS was not a factor in choosing du Pré.[3]
Development
Before Marston started working on the ballet, she and O'Hare met du Pré's husband Daniel Barenboim in Berlin to have his blessing.[5][6] Marston recalled Barenboim "was both charming and charmed by the idea,"[1] and according to O'Hare, Barenboim said, "Make me handsome," at the end of the meeting.[7] Barenboim allowed Marston to portray him as the conductor, even though he was usually the pianist when he and du Pré performed together.[5] Marston also read books about du Pré and took cello classes "to get a sense of the instrument," but believed that she would not continue after the ballet was complete.[1] She spoke to both people who knew du Pré and people with MS, including her mother.[3][8]
Marston devised the scenario of the ballet with Edward Kemp,[9] a frequent collaborator of her, and Kemp also served as the dramaturg.[4] She had no intention of exploring du Pré's private life,[5] and wanted to focus on the "love and loss" between her with her cello,[1] therefore the ballet is deliberately titled The Cellist.[4] The ballet also explores "what it means to be an artist and find your voice" rather than "technical quality."[8]
Like Dangerous Liaison, Marston chose to use a male dancer to personify the cello,[3] and described the role as "the instrument, and music personified, and to some extent fate."[4] The corps de ballet is used as "A Chorus of Narrators" and appears as the orchestra, the audience,[9] friends,[10] and MS symptoms which Marston said was "from an experiential rather than a scientific point of view," especially the "long period of anxiety" du Pré had before her diagnosis.[1]
The music was a commissioned score by Philip Feeney, which incorporated some of the music du Pré was best known for.[4] Originally, Elgar's Cello Concerto was not included, but Marston decided to include a scene with Barenboim conducting du Pré the concerto, which never happened. Upon Barenboim's approval, Feeney rewrote the score.[4] In the final product, the Elgar concerto is featured prominently.[1] At the premiere, solo cellist Hetty Snell performed in the orchestra pit.[11]
The set was designed by Hildegard Bechtler and was inspired by the inside of a cello. Bregje van Balen, a former dancer, designed the costumes.[4]
Dancers
In the original production, Lauren Cuthbertson was cast as du Pré (credited as "The Cellist).[12] Marston had wanted to work with Cuthbertson since 2002, when a 17-year-old Cuthbertson stepped in last minute to dance the central role in a new Marston piece.[8] Cuthbertson did in-depth research,[5] studied cello and spoke to MS patients in preparation for the role.[13]
Marcelino Sambé portrayed "The Instrument",[12] and Marston commented, "His body is so supple, movement just bursts out of him. If you were going to personify music – that’s him."[8] Barenboim ("The Conductor") was danced by Matthew Ball.[12] Ball said playing Barenboim was "quite intimidating," and his portrayal was from "a slightly more innocent time."[5]
Other dancers who had performed at the premiere included
Critical reception
The Cellist received positive to mixed reviews. In a five-star review, The Telegraph's Mark Monahan wrote, "Magical, supremely romantic (Romantic, even), and stirring right from the start, The Cellist – co-created with dramaturg Edward Kemp – is a supreme case in point."[12] Lyndsey Winship of The Guardian gave it four stars, and commented, "The Cellist is most effective as a portrait of a woman’s deep love affair with music."[15] Will Gompertz of the BBC also gave it four stars and called it "beautiful".[18] The Times's Debra Craine gave it three stars and was more critical: "too long and sags in the middle,"[19] while the Evening Standard's Emma Byrne commented that the corps de ballet was "cluttered, distracting – and unnecessarily busy."[20]
Accolades
Year | Award | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | National Dance Awards | Best Classical Choreography | Cathy Marston | Won | [21] |
Outstanding Female Classical Performance | Lauren Cuthbertson | Won | [21] | ||
Beatriz Stix-Brunell | Nominated | [22] | |||
Outstanding Male Classical Performance | Marcelino Sambé | Won | [21] |
Videography
A performance on 25 February 2020 was relayed in cinemas.
References
- ^ a b c d e f Nepilova, Hannah (7 February 2020). "New ballet 'The Cellist' explores Jacqueline du Pré's life in dance". Financial Times.
- ^ Farah Nayeri (28 February 2020). "A Cellist's Tragic Tale, Told in Dance: A new production at the Royal Ballet depicts how illness robbed Jacqueline du Pré of her talent and her life". The New York Times.
- ^ a b c d e Alberge, Dalya (12 January 2020). "Jacqueline Du Pré's life inspires new Royal Ballet production". The Observer.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Parry, Jann (4 February 2020). "Cathy Marston on The Cellist & Mrs. Robinson – new works for The Royal Ballet & San Francisco Ballet". DanceTabs.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Nayeri, Farah (28 February 2020). "A Cellist's Tragic Tale, Told in Dance". New York Times.
- ^ Winship, Lyndsey (14 May 2019). "Dances with Jacqueline Du Pré and Dante in the Royal Ballet's new season". The Guardian.
- ^ Pullinger, Mark (3 October 2019). "A cellist, Inferno, fire and ice: Kevin O'Hare on running The Royal Ballet". Bachtrack.
- ^ a b c d Winter, Anna (19 February 2020). "Choreographer Cathy Marston: 'For ages, narrative ballet wasn't cool. Now I'm getting a lot of offers'". The Stage.
- ^ a b Levene, Louise (18 February 2020). "The Cellist — Marcelino Sambé rescues this Jacqueline du Pré ballet". Financial Times.
- ^ a b Weiss, Deborah (8 June 2002). "Royal Ballet – The Cellist – streamed recording". Dancetabs.
- ^ Crompton, Sarah (23 February 2020). "The week in dance: The Cellist/Dances at a Gathering; Message in a Bottle – review". The Observer.
- ^ a b c d e f Monahan, Mark (18 February 2020). "The Cellist, Dances at a Gathering, Royal Ballet, review: a heartbreaking love letter to Jacqueline du Pré and the magic of music". The Telegraph.
- ^ Etchingham, Julie (17 February 2020). "English cellist Jacqueline du Pre's life brought to the Royal Ballet". ITV News.
- ^ Gilbert, Jenny (19 February 2020). "The Cellist/Dances at a Gathering, Royal Ballet review – A grand love affair with a cello". The Art Desk.
- ^ a b Winship, Lyndsey (18 February 2020). "The Cellist review – a joyfully giddy tribute to Jacqueline du Pré". The Guardian.
- ^ Sable, Joy (19 February 2020). "Dance review: Dances at a Gathering/The Cellist". The Jewish Chronicle.
- ^ Weiss, Deborah (22 April 2020). "Dances at a Gathering, The Cellist (world premiere), The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House". Dance For You Magazine.
- ^ a b Gompertz, Will (22 February 2020). "The Cellist: Will Gompertz reviews the Royal Ballet work inspired by Jacqueline du Pré". BBC.
- ^ Craine, Debra (18 February 2020). "The Cellist review — this ballet has scope and intimacy but sags in the middle". The Times.
- ^ Byrne, Emma (18 February 2020). "Dances at a Gathering/The Cellist review: Passion and pain in story of musical genius Jacqueline du Pré". Evening Standard.
- ^ a b c Watts, Graham (27 June 2021). "National Dance Awards Announced at a virtual ceremony from the Cervantes Theatre in London". Critic's Circle.
- ^ Watts, Graham (7 May 2021). "Nominees For 21st National Dance Awards Announced". Critic's Circle.