Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

leighton

New Member
  • Posts

    1
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Registration Profile Information

  • Connection to/interest in ballet** (Please describe. Examples: fan, teacher, dancer, writer, avid balletgoer)
    worked at royal opera house, ballet wardrobe from 1984 - 87
  • City**
    london
  • State (US only)**, Country (Outside US only)**
    england
  1. Have just discovered the post from "volcanohunter" dated Nov 2006, ironicaly doing a google search for Maria Almeida. I worked in the Royal ballet wardrobe department from 1984 to 87 and knew her personally. She was the finest and most beautiful ballet artist i ever saw. She was promoted from soloist to principal during the time i was there, As "volcanohunter" so rightly pointed out, her "Aurora" was simply magical. I too cried over those rose adagio's! I remember a particularly amazing one she performed on tour in Japan in 1987. Her final balances were so prolonged that the audience burst into spontaneous applause. Accustomed to clapping only at the end of the piece and unable to hear the music, Maria was thrown and thought that she had somehow got behind the music. She adeptly went from her attitude balance to finish position only for the applause to die down and realised she had some time left to go. So she just hung there untill the finish. Can't think of anyone else (other than the superb Jennifer Penney) who could have turned such a potential disaster into a feat of sheer brilliance! Also enchanted by her Giselle. Partnered by Sir Anthony Dowell she was absolutely surreal. Sadly never saw her perform Bayadere or Ondine. Had left by then. Criminal that none of her full length pieces were ever filmed. She did perform the "Bluebird" pas de deux with Errol Pickford for a dance contest which was televised around this time. Would love to see that again. Have seen many since; but there will never be another one like Maria. Very special lady.
×
×
  • Create New...