Christmas with Angel Corella

[CarolinaM]

I'm not sure if the Freixenet cava (Catalan champagne) spot is seen in the USA or in other EU countries out of Spain.

This year it is with Angel Corella and Gwyneth Paltrow:

Freixenet 2006

Hope you enjoy

[carbro]

Certainly puts one in a festive mood. Thank you, Carolina.

[Helene]

Click,

"Descubre el nuevo spot Freixenet!" -- to see the full commercial

"El making of" -- to see how the set was put together in a warehouse to a jazz version of the main theme of Swan Lake, more clips of Corella warming up and practicing and doing a low, turning ballroom lift with Paltrow -- wow! -- shooting the group of models in gold at Montjuic, etc.

"Cordon Negro" -- to see a short, animated commercial clip.

I suspect high-speed Internet access may be needed to view without choppiness.

Thank you, CarolinaM!

[beck_hen]

Fun. On a frivolous note, this reminds me of an episode of America's Next Top Model where the contestants had to film a commercial in Catalan, and most of them were excruciatingly bad! Gwyneth seemed to deliver her line well. The commercial as a whole is too romantic and surreal ever to be seen on American TV, I think.

[socalgal]

Helene, thanks for the how-to's~

That was fun and unexpected to see Angel dancing with Gwynth Paltrow.

Wonder how the two of them were paired in this commercial.

It was lovely!

[bart]

Someone at the Freixenet agency has been watching old Baryshnikov movies. Wow!

It is almost impossible to imagine an American ad campaign glamourizing a ballet dancer in this way.

[4mrdncr]

Yes, Freixenet's agency must enjoy using dancers--both Tamara Rojo and Joaquin de Luz are also listed as participants in a 1999 ad. Many thanks to CarolinaM (and Freixenet's website) for posting this in a format my ancient computer could actually view (though no sound system available); I don't have a clue about YouTube anyways. And, though I've seen romantic fantasies (and soft lighting with sparkles) portrayed in holiday ads before, I do not think the US agencies would really have a clue about using ballet, or its stars, to effectively promote a product; they're still too fixated on the 18-34's & pop music.

The ad itself is an interesting contrast between light and dark both physically (Paltrow v. Corella, dark studio v. bright party) and figuratively: The dark loner yearning for the warmth and lightness of society, as embodied by the champagne, in the person of golden (ie subliminal clue for richness?) goddess Gwyneth. And physically and subliminally lighting was important throughout--note Angel always in low-key/high contrast until the end, whereas Gwyneth wearing white, and then 'champagne' gold is almost flat lit with strong backlighting and diffusion scrims or filters. The slight height differential was compensated for by a 3 inch "apple box" (visible in the "making of..." clip) and Corella's upper body strength and a moving camera in that swirling Astaire-Rogers turn. Well I hope Angel Corella enjoyed 'just dancing around', Gwyneth had fun doing it, and some of the proceeds go towards Corella's Foundation (?).

Question: Was the announcement about a national Royal Spanish Ballet (w/Tamara Rojo) at the same time the commercial came out coincidence or not? Will it bring more people to appreciate ballet, or split the vote?

[CarolinaM]

Yes, Freixenet's agency must enjoy using dancers--both Tamara Rojo and Joaquin de Luz are also listed as participants in a 1999 ad.

Well I hope Angel Corella enjoyed 'just dancing around', Gwyneth had fun doing it, and some of the proceeds go towards Corella's Foundation (?).

Question: Was the announcement about a national Royal Spanish Ballet (w/Tamara Rojo) at the same time the commercial came out coincidence or not? Will it bring more people to appreciate ballet, or split the vote?

Yes, it is surprising that Freixenet had used dancers so many times in their Christmas ads (I also remember Nacho Duato years ago partered by Andie McDowell) in a country that has such a disdain for classical dance.

Codorniu, the other main catalan cava producer, and Freixenet rival, has also a slight view on classical ballet in its this year ad.

I'm sure Angel Corella enjoyed making the ad with Gwyneth but no idea if he is going to get more founds because of the ad, I guess no

And yes it was a coincidence because as far as I know Freixenet had already in mind to have Angel as its this year's star.

In any case next week will be a great dance week in Barcelona with Tamara Rojo dancing in a theater and Angel in another one and I wont miss any of them !!!!