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Title: LA SYLPHIDE, OTHELLO, THREE DANCES TO JAPANESE MUSIC

Reference number: 12316

Date: 1980 (?)

Sound: sound

Colour: col

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 122.59 mins

Description: This tape contains three ballets by Scottish Ballet: La Sylphide, Othello and Three Dances Set to Japanese Music.

The recording of La Sylphide was made at the King's Theatre in Edinburgh in 1979. Following the performance, there is a section of rehearsal footage. La Sylphide was one of the first great romantic ballets and set the style of a trend which dominated ballet for almost 100 years. Scottish Ballet’s production was restaged by the world’s foremost authority on Bournonville’s ballets, Hanns Brenaa, of the Royal Danish Ballet in Copenhagen.
The story is set in Scotland where James, on the eve of his wedding, is dreaming of the Sylphide, a spirit of the forest. He awakes to find his dream a reality and the ballet unfolds in a strongly dramatic plot, which moves through spirited highland reels and moonlit glades peopled by sylphs and witches, to a final tragic ending. (Leaflet for La Sylphide, 1974, Scottish Theatre Archive, STA SB 8/23c)

In Othello, Peter Darrell takes Shakespeare’s classic tragedy and conceives a powerful and dramatic one act ballet.

Three Dances Set to Japanese Music was choreographed by Jack Carter in 1973. This production was filmed and broadcast by BBC in 1980.

Please note this is a copy of the raw capture of the original analogue video for preservation and as such may display defects such as dropout, washed out colour and sound fluctuation.

Credits: La Sylphide
Music: Herman Lovenskjold
Choreography: August Bournonville
Scenario: Adolphe Nourrit
Design: Peter Cazalet

Othello
Choreographer: Peter Darrell
Music: Franz Liszt
Costume: Peter Farmer

Three Dances to Japanese Music
Choreographer: Jack Carter
Music arranged by: Kisahisa Katada
Costume: Norman McDowell
Ballet Master: Gordon Aitken
Producer's Assistant: Maggie Boyd
Production Assistant: Bruce Millar
Vision Mixer: Nigel Shepherd
Sound: Ron Allan
Lighting: Alan Henderson
Designer: Helen Rae
Producer: James Hunter
First dance:
The Lord: Kenneth Saunders
His Lady: Judy Mohekey
His Daughter: Anna McCartney
Her Husband: Robert Ryan
River God: Peter Royston
Kurago (invisibles): William Bowen, Roy Campbell-Moore, Michael Harper

Second dance:
Noriko Ohara, Vincent Hantam, Kit Lethby

Third dance:
Noriko Ohara, Vincent Hantam, Kit Lethby, Anna McCartney, Judy Mohekey, Eleanor Moore, Jeanette Newell, Peter Royston, Robert Ryan, Kenneth Saunders

Shotlist: La Sylphide:

Act One 04:48-32:16
James is asleep by the fire dreaming of a sylph, a spirit of the forest he has seen in the glen. He awakens to see his vision before him but when he pursues the spirit she always evades him. Gurn, manager of the family farm, also loves Effie but she has eyes only for James
Presently friends and neighbours arrive bringing gifts for the young couple. Madge, a witch, enters and James wishes to drive her from the house but Effie persuades him to let the old woman remain to tell fortunes. When Madge foretells that Effie will never be happy with James but only with Gurn, James forces her from the house, and she vows revenge. The Sylph reappears. Visible to Gurn and James alone – she declares her love for the latter but continues to remain elusive. Finally snatching the wedding ring intended for Effie, she flies to the forest with James in pursuit

Act Two 32:34-01:03:38
Scene I – Just before dawn, Madge and her coven are preparing a magic potion with which to impregnate a scarf that will bring about James’ downfall
Scene II – Day breaks and the sylphs of the forest begin their dance in which they are joined by James still in pursuit of the Sylph
Meanwhile the search for him has continued throughout the night. At last Gurn discovers his cousin’s hat but Madge persuades him not to reveal this but instead to urge the others to abandon the search. Madge on his behalf presses his suit for Effie. The witch now turns her attention to James leading him to believe that if he entwines her magic scarf around the Sylph’s shoulders that elusive sprit will be his forever. James places the scarf around the Sylph. Her wings fall off and she dies and is carried away by her sisters. James collapses and Madge exults over his body.

Curtain call 01:03:50-01:05:55

La Sylphide rehearsal footage: 01:06:06-1:09:01

Othello: 1:09:02-01:38:01
A one act ballet based upon Shakespeare's tragedy

Japanese Dances: 01:38:02-02:02:45

First Dance 01:38:54-01:45:59
A Westerner's impression of Japanese Theatre, using devices of Kabuki, Noh and Bunraku to hell how the River God stole the Lord's daughter so causing him much anger

Second Dance 01:46:17-01:52:27
Seikakuhandan (A Character Study)

Third Dance 01:52:54-2:01:52
Tonjin Matsun (Concourse of Drums)