Ondine | Christie's

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VA… Read more

Ondine A ballet in three acts, a Mediterranean version of the famous water-nymph story by Freidriech de la Motte Fouqué. "This is the story of Palemon and Ondine telling how Palemon wedded with a water-sprite and what chanced therefrom and how Palemon died and how Ondine returned to her element beneath the Mediterranean Sea" (H.Koegler op.cit 1982, p.310 and Royal Opera House programme notes)

Ondine

Details

Ondine
Production: Première - October 27th, 1958, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London
Music: Hans Werner Henze
Choreography: Frederick Ashton
Design: Lila de Nobili
Character: Ondine

A costume of aquamarine chiffon, the high-waisted sleeveless dress with balconette bodice trimmed with silver braid and fastening at the bust with a large clasp of faceted rhinestones in a star-shaped motif, the shoulder straps trimmed with aquamarine net and wire frond embellishments, embroidered with aquamarine and clear rhinestones, the diaphanous skirts graduating in hue, embroidered with opalescent sequins and finished with a handkerchief hemline, with integral flesh-coloured body stocking; and a headdress, the rhinestone tiara of foliate design with four tall branches terminating in flower head clusters and drops; and a pair of rhinestone drop earrings; accompanied by three corresponding photographs, one by Mike Davis, another by Cornel Lucas and one by Roger Wood, all circa 1958-1959, largest -- 10x8in. (25.4x20.3cm.) (6)

Literature

FONTEYN, Margot Autobiography, London: W.H.Allen, 1975, pp.71 & 206

Special notice

No VAT will be charged on the hammer price, but VAT at 17.5% will be added to the buyer's premium which is invoiced on a VAT inclusive basis.

Lot Essay

Margot Fonteyn particularly enjoyed performing Ondine. In her autobiography she wrote that for her ...Ballets rated fear in direct ratio to the degree of absolute physical control and stamina they exacted. Thus: 'Swan Lake' and 'Sleeping Beauty' - terror; 'Giselle' - dread; 'Firebird' - fear and so on down to 'Ondine' which was a joy from beginning to end - my happiest ballet. She also said that Ondine was ideally suited for her ...It was the ballet I had dreamed of...It was the perfect character for me, naïve, shy, loyal and loving and a creature of the sea..

More from THE DAME MARGOT FONTEYN COLLECTION

View All