Hans Werner Henze: Ondine - featuring the Royal Ballet

I've known the score to Ondine (or Undine if you prefer Henze's title) since the great recording of it that came out on Deutsche Grammophon in 1997. It was conducted by a great friend and admirer of Henze's, Oliver Knussen, and has been a recording I have enjoyed coming back to on many occasions. It seems to be out of print at the moment, but this DVD is a fine, indeed, a better way to experience it. Yes, the ballet was a commission from Frederick Ashton for Henze to write a ballet that would star Margot Fonteyn and The Sadler's Wells Ballet, which became the Royal Ballet. The men worked on it in collaboration (with some input from Fonteyn)and the result was quite a success. Fonteyn always said it was her favorite ballet. She danced it frequently. It has been revived several times and been presented by other companies and this DVD is a recording of a revival by The Royal Ballet. First, the music is dramatic, evocative, lyrical, violent in spots, graceful in others, descriptive, emotional, beautiful. It neither seems padded nor "empty" nor "correct" (and dull.) Its forefathers could be Stravinsky and Prokofiev. It is tonally "directed" if not always created in a tonal way. It is no more difficult nor "unmelodious" than The Rite of Spring or Daphnis et Cloe. The three acts seem to be just right in length and event, Henze giving credit for this to Ashton who worked out the story to the very minute of each part. It is lends itself to dance quite easily. Nothing need be forced. I was never bored or impatient or distracted by something else. Music and story and dance fit wonderfully together. It is not a pastiche of 19th Century ideas, but a valid 20th Century work that seems as fresh today as it must have then. The recorded sound is glorious, even in "plain" stereo. The performance by the Royal Opera Orchestra under Barry Wordsworth is dramatic and vivid and lovely. For the unadventurous who insist music died in 1900, it's true, this is not Tchaikovsky. He wrote his own ballets. He didn't need to have someone else write one for him. You can always listen to those if that is all you crave. You know if I'm talking to you.The choreography is marvelously inventive, old-fashioned in some ways (female centered in duets, for example), showcasing with marvelous invention the title character and any dancer who can bring her to life, but also giving fine work to everyone, including quite imaginative uses for the corps. The three acts are unpredictable in many ways and filled with powerful, beautiful examples of how effective a pas de deux can be. The one slight "flaw" in my mind is that the main male character, Palemon, who falls in love with the water creature Ondine, does not have a meaningful solo of his own. And the "villain" of the piece, Berta, a woman who fights for Palemon's love and brings on the final tragedy, is more mime than dance, a bit too noticeably so. These are just my own opinions and they are minor distractions. The ballet is a masterwork and worth owning and knowing. Miyako Yoshida is a wonderful Ondine. She is the child-like, innocent, emotionally volatile, and finally, broken and tragic creature to the life. She also is very beautiful, a plus on a video with close-ups. She has every move, every emotion. No she is not Fonteyn, who from the seriously cut movie of her dancing Ondine was obviously magnificent, but no one is. Fonteyn was a one-of-a-kind dancer. She is gone. Time to put history away and appreciate what is good about today. Her Palemon is a wonderfully expressive Edward Watson, who makes the most of their duets, a partner not just a "lifter." The male with the flashiest role is Ricardo Cervera who plays Tirrenio, Lord of the Mediterranean Sea. His every entrance is used by Ashton for maximum effect and the dancer does the role proud. The Berta, Genesia Rosato, is less good but certainly not bad. Perhaps if her choreography were a little more "worthy". One or two places finds the corps de ballet out of synch with one another and a few places they seem under-rehearsed, but only a few--most of their work is exemplary. So much pleasurable art here that quibbles seem meaningless. A must for ballet lovers and music lovers who can appreciate more than the "classics."

Ondine was premiered in 1958, choreographed by Ashton and music by the young Hans Werner Henze. It was to be a vehicle for Dame Margot Fonteyn and she triumphed. This is one of the few ultra-modern music ballets to become established in world wide ballet. I agree with the reviewer I Giles that this the latest revival be judged on it's own merits not on remembrance of things past. That said, I will comment on this 2009 presentation.In the past several years I have really come to appreciate what a genius Frederick Ashton was. From the late 1950s on I was exposed to many of his works as well as some works of others and did not fully appreciating the fine designs of M. Ashton. I thought all ballet was that good. Not so! I saw some pretty lack-luster presentations circulated around the mid-states regions at that time. But whenever the Brits came on the scene you could bet on a good show. In between there would be some dusty, cobwebby Ballet Russe de whatever that just might have a decent dancer or two. That all changed with the advent of VHS, DVD and now Blu-ray recording. We can now live and relive some particular performance. A case in point is this current disc of the latest revival of Ondine by the Royal Ballet. It is beautiful!If anyone needs to see what made Ashton so famous as a choreographer just watch the arms and the bodies of the Ondines (water sprites) corps as they ripple in the several scenes in which they appear. They ripple and wave in the watery seas; such exquisite grace!Miyako Yoshida is grace itself as she glides in and out of scene after scene. She never seems to tire from her first appearance in the window of the castle of Prince Palemon to the last fatal kiss she gives him as she glides out to sea and remembers him not.The rest of the cast are also most capable in their several parts.Eduard Watson' Palemon is very near perfect for the part of the Prince who'd like to stray. He is a sensitive but mature person who is aware of protocol but would like a little escape into a fantasy world. So when the water sprite offers him this diversion he jumps right in without any consideration of the consequences. In the last act when he appears to have settled down to the real world of his dutiful obligations, he throws himself into one last effort of escapism but -- this one has no escape. Watson is lithe, of stature and danced and partnered with Ondine very well.Genesia Rosato was a bit mature for the role of faithful, royal-consort-to-be Berta but she certainly danced her turn with sparkle. She is a handsome dancer and has that assuredness about her that every movement she makes is the right one.The Tirrenio, Lord of the Mediterranean Sea looked and acted so much like Anthony Dowell, I was sure it was he. But no, it was Ricardo Cervera and he did a most praiseworthy job of dancing and projecting the wrath of the Sea for this interloping guest, the Prince.I'm somewhat familiar with the music of Hans Werner Henze and have even had him as a guest at dinner at my home during one of his visits to the United States. The first two acts, particularly Act One sounded like the various concertos, operas (Junge Lord) and concert pieces with which I am familiar. Unfortunately during some of Acts 2 & 3 some bits of "Broadway" and Korngold's Sea Adventures crept in jarringly; but only bits. Since he was working day in and out with Ashton, these may have seeped in unnoticed. Nevertheless this is a great ballet and a fine piece of music.

Very good!

Balletto molto bello, scenografie e costumi stupendi. La qualità dell'immagine è ottima e il DVD è arrivato in orario ed in perfette condizioni.

At last! ‘Ondine’ for all to enjoy. This remarkable ballet collaboration between the choreographer Frederick Ashton and composer Hans Werner Henze has been filmed and released on this superb dvd. It’s entirely stunning. Originally, musically very modern for its time - Ashton was groundbreaking in his ensemble work but his storytelling is thoroughly explicit and exciting in every detail.The third collaborator, Lila de Nobili, the designer, her scintillating sets have been faithfully preserved/re-produced. The Act II dissolve from busy harbour side to the the boat on the high seas is a brilliant piece of stagecraft. And the the storm scene that results in the destruction of the vessel at the end of the act is of truly operatic proportions!Now the casting. Other reviewers have thought Genesia Rosato too old for the rôle of ‘Berta’. I disagree entirely. It’s the fact that Edward Watson looks too young! He’s perfect as ‘Palemon’ and dances superbly and in the title rôle, the ageless Miyako Yoshida gives the performance of her career.However, Ms Rosato is one of the finest character/soloist/dancers of her generation. No-one has given a more definitive account of ‘Carabosse’ in the ‘Sleeping Beauty’ or surpassed her ‘Arabian Dance’ in the ‘Nutcracker’. The Royal Ballet depends on dancers of her talent and dedication. The last filmed version of the ‘Nutcracker’ she portrayed the ‘Grandmother’! A huge talent. The other 3 principals have photos in the excellent booklet but not Genesia Rosato, a glaring oversight.Other ‘Ondines’ I’ve seen, in the ‘Major Revival’ of 1988, were the stunning Maria Almeida and the technically brilliant but physically miscast Cynthia Harvey. Oh, to have witnessed Tamara Rojo’s performance! But Yoshida has more than managed to capture the spirit of the piece that Fonteyn recognised would be such a demanding yet thrilling rôle to dance.This is an important and impressive addition to a collection for anyone interested in ballet and the work of Frederick Ashton in particular.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

希少です

très beau. Mais un petit peu long a la fin (la danse au mariage) je me suis endormi dessus. Sinon tout le reste était superbe.