volcanohunter Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 Does anyone know whether Peter Schaufuss' staging of La Sylphide for London Festival Ballet has ever been available on video? I'm thinking of the BBC telecast from 1980 with Eva Evdokimova, Schaufuss and Niels Bjorn Larsen. (Something like my dream cast!) Link to comment
rg Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 to the best of my knowledge this telecast was not put on the commercial market. it was shown in the US as well as in the UK, the dance coll. of NYPL seems to have the UK version - i don't recall the j.drummond intro on the US telecast, but i could be forgetting it. La sylphide / a BBC2-TV presentation in association with Landseer Productions, London and R.M. Productions, Munich ; directed by Derek Bailey ; choreography by Peter Schaufuss after August Bournonville ; music by Hermann Lowenskjold. U.K. : BBC TV, 1980. (107 min.) : sd., col. Taped in performance at the London Coliseum. Scenery and costumes, David Walker ; lighting, John B. Read. Performed by the London Festival Ballet. Peter Schaufuss (James), Eva Evdokimova (the Sylph), Nicholas Johnson (Gurn), Niels Bjorn Larsen (Madge), Margot Clarke (Effie), Valerie Aitken (Mother), Andria Hall (leading Sylph). Introductions by John Drummond. Link to comment
richard53dog Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 to the best of my knowledge this telecast was not put on the commercial market.it was shown in the US as well as in the UK, the dance coll. of NYPL seems to have the UK version - i don't recall the j.drummond intro on the US telecast, but i could be forgetting it. La sylphide / a BBC2-TV presentation in association with Landseer Productions, London and R.M. Productions, Munich ; directed by Derek Bailey ; choreography by Peter Schaufuss after August Bournonville ; music by Hermann Lowenskjold. U.K. : BBC TV, 1980. (107 min.) : sd., col. Taped in performance at the London Coliseum. Scenery and costumes, David Walker ; lighting, John B. Read. Performed by the London Festival Ballet. Peter Schaufuss (James), Eva Evdokimova (the Sylph), Nicholas Johnson (Gurn), Niels Bjorn Larsen (Madge), Margot Clarke (Effie), Valerie Aitken (Mother), Andria Hall (leading Sylph). Introductions by John Drummond. My almost unwatchable VHS copy has an interview/discussion with Schaufuss between the two acts. I'm not sure if it's Drummond there or not. I'm missing the first few minutes so I don't have the intros. The thing is really terrible to watch , I really need to throw it out so that I don't make myself crazy about thinking I can successfully watch it. Link to comment
Juliet Posted December 12, 2006 Share Posted December 12, 2006 my copy is not great either, but it has a safe home forever--------I love this performance......not to mention the wonderful costumes, beautiful Margot Clarke and Larsen, who is unforgettable..... Link to comment
volcanohunter Posted December 12, 2006 Author Share Posted December 12, 2006 to the best of my knowledge this telecast was not put on the commercial market. What a pity. I remember that clips of the telecast were used in Schaufuss' "Dancer" series, which isn't available either. I've also seen a very grainy pirate of the entire performance, though without the interview richard53dog mentioned. What I have seen makes me long for a commercial release. Evdokimova's romantic style is exquisite, Schaufuss' virtuosity indisputable and the artistry of Larsen is a potent argument for retaining mime. I wonder what it would take to convince the BBC to pull this stuff out of its vaults. Link to comment
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