Le Spectre de la Rose

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Le Spectre De La Rose - (The Spirit of the Rose) A ballet in one act. The story of a girl who brings home a rose from a ball; she falls asleep in her chair, and dreams that the spirit of the rose is dancing with her - until the spirit disappears with a spectacular leap through the window and she awakes, still under the spell of the dream. (H.Koegler, op. cit., p.391)

Details

Le Spectre de la Rose
Production: November 2nd, 1961, Royal Academy of Dancing Gala, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London; also danced as part of the Nureyev and Friends seasons, The Coliseum Theatre, London
Music: Carl-Maria von Weber
Choreography: Mikhail Fokine
Design: Léon Bakst
Character: The Young Girl

A ballet costume, the boned bodice of ivory gauze, decorated at the neckline with ivory gauze frill and v-shaped ribbon detail, the short puffed sleeves additionally trimmed with bows, a sash at the waist forming a rosette at the front, the full skirt similarly of ivory gauze stiffened with layers of ivory tulle and decorated with a deep frill at the hem; and a silk shawl printed with a paisley pattern in aquamarine, purple, yellow, cream and red; accompanied by five corresponding photographs, two by Dominic Photography of Fonteyn and John Gilpin being rehearsed for their roles in Spectre by Madame Tamara Katsavina, 1961; two of Fonteyn on stage in the role; and a press still of Fonteyn at the Royal Academy of Dancing gala, November 2nd, 1961, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, largest -- 8x9¾in. (20.3x24.8cm.) (6)

Literature

MONEY, Keith Fonteyn - The Making Of A Legend, Zurich: William Collins Sons & Co Ltd, 1973, pp. 200, 201, 204 & 205 (illus.)

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

A month before Fonteyn appeared in Le Spectre de la Rose with John Gilpin at the R.A.D. Charity Gala, she invited the young Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev to appear in the charity gala. Frederick Ashton agreed to devise a solo for this, Nureyev's first appearance in England.

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