Life has been pretty busy for the last few weeks! Johnny and I opened The Nutcracker season on the 13th of December after about 5 weeks of rehearsal. Having that much time to work on the piece was great, though I have to admit I'm usually quite impatient to get on with my shows. Johnny, of course, has been wonderful. I think Phoebe must have realized that it was an important day for me as she decided to wake up at 5 a.m. (unusual for her). She is doing very well and during the preparations for Nutcracker I also arranged her Christening which took place on December 2nd. (The family photo shown here was taken then.)
Sugar Plum Fairy is not the easiest of roles to come back to. The piece may not be very long, but it's very strenuous and demanding technically. There is very little time between the pas de deux and the solos, so once you've got round the back of the stage to make your entrance, it's time to start your solo - which is twice the length of the boy's! The boy's next variation is over in a flash, then you're back on for the fouettés and straight into the jumps. Experience, therefore, is very important: you need to know where to pace yourself; but your preparation before the show is vital too. After getting ready, I warm up by doing a barre for about 30 minutes, then put on my pointe shoes. In Nutcracker I will be back in my dressing room just as the Snowflakes are on stage (end of Act I), to put on my costume, prepare my shoes and then watch most of Act II from the wings while warming up. When we do full calls (rehearsals of the whole ballet), of course, it's easier to watch the whole show.
While watching a full call the other day, Johnny and I were reminiscing about roles we've performed in The Nutcracker. I have only danced Snowflakes and Sugar Plum, but he has danced parts ranging from the Arabian Dance, to Mouse King to Prince. Over the years, many dancers perform quite a few roles in Nutcracker, starting as snowflakes and then tackling more demanding parts. If I had to dance another role, I'd like to perform The Arabian Dance. (I think I already know the steps from watching it so often!)
After all these preparations, the first night came at last and went well. I was a little nervous, just as I'd expected to be, but it was really nice to be back. And I'm pleased to say I enjoyed the show and it felt natural to be back on stage. (I think it was more nerve-wracking for Angus out in the audience!) Johnny, of course, was super cool; it was great that he had so much confidence in us, but I thought he might have shown a few nerves to keep me company! Just before the show I heard one of the guys talking about how apprehensive he was after coming back from a 4 month injury. Well, I'd been quite calm till then (in fact, I'd been ready to go for the last two weeks), but it suddenly hit me that I had been out for a whole year and I should be nervous - perhaps more so than I was.
Of course I've been rehearsing other ballets besides The Nutcracker. I've been busy working on Beyond Bach and also In the Middle Somewhat Elevated . Beyond Bach is a new piece to the company, choreographed by Stephen Baynes. The music, by Johann Sebastian Bach, is wonderful. Johnny is my partner and the other leading dancers are Marianela Nuñez and Inaki Urlezaga. I have had so much fun dancing with 19 year old Marianela. Nothing ever really seems to faze her and she steps into roles at short notice without feeling pressured. We are also working together on In the Middle Somewhat Elevated , learning the same role. I make Marianela laugh as the role is new to me and I often go back to the role I used to dance and end up standing in the wrong part of the stage. I'm sure by the time of our first show I will know where I am supposed to be...but for now it's still slightly confusing! As well as being great to work with, Marianela is also very generous, buying me a lovely good luck gift before my first Nutcracker.
For Children in Need, I contributed a pair of signed pointe shoes and two tickets to The Nutcracker, to be auctioned off to the highest bidder on the Terry Wogan Show. (And was amazed to hear how much they had gone for!) The winning bid was made by Mrs Gill Courtnell who brought her Granddaughter along to the show. They came backstage to see me afterwards, as you can see from the photograph, and I really enjoyed meeting them.
Despite all the rehearsing, I managed to take time out to attend a private preview for an exhibition by Bentley and Skinner (Bond Street Jewellers): Ballet Jewellery - On and Off the Stage. This was to raise money for The Royal Ballet Benevolent Fund - a very good cause; part of the money raised was from the sale of raffle tickets for some beautiful pieces of jewellery designed by the Swiss gold weaver Lucy Heskett-Brem - which were from the 'Darcey Bussell Collection'. As guest of honour, I got to sit at Anna Pavlova's dressing table and try on a diamond tiara. The exhibition itself was fascinating (and free!) and I hope you managed to see it.
To celebrate my return to the stage we thought we would have a small competition to win an autographed poster of The Nutcracker. To enter, all you need to do is send an e-mail with your name, address and the correct answer to the following question:
Who played my prince in my debut as the Sugar Plum Fairy in 1990?
a) Jonathan Cope
b) Irek Mukhamedov
c) Stuart Cassidy
I would like to thank everyone who has sent cards, letters and gifts to me at the Opera House; I really appreciate your support. Sorry for the delay in replying to some of them - I am slowly working my way through the pile, so if you haven't heard from me yet, you will soon. Thanks also for the comments regarding this site.
I hope you enjoyed the newsletter. Please come back again to see what I have been up to.
Enjoy your dance and have a Merry Christmas.
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