The Nutcracker - BBC Two
Created by legendary choreographer Sir Peter Wright, The Royal Ballet’s Production of The Nutcracker is the most lavish and best-loved Christmas ballet on the planet. This signature classic more than any other has come to define the scale, spectacle and technical prowess of the company.
For the first time in many years, the Royal Ballet gives access behind-the-scenes for a landmark 90 minute Christmas documentary, following the company as they prepare for the season’s production.
Also probably to be shown over Christmas
Darcey Bussell: Looking for Margot - BBC One
Margot Fonteyn has inspired generations of ballerinas. She was beautiful, brilliant, talented and never put a foot wrong on stage. Her late flowering partnering with Rudolf Nureyev created the most dazzling ballet partnership in history. And yet behind-the-scenes, as Darcey Bussell discovers, Margot’s life was marked by tragedy and disappointment. She barely knew her father, and was dominated by her well-meaning yet fiercely ambitious mother. She couldn’t find love, and never had children. And when she finally did marry, to a man she loved from afar for many years, he turned out to be very different than she expected: a hero to his people, but not always to his wife.
Darcey Bussell visits the Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet, and travels from London to New York and Panama looking for Margot. She finds how Margot lost out in love, got drawn into a failed foreign revolution, danced on for far too long, and died alone and in poverty, miles from home. Along the way Darcey speaks to many people who have not spoken out before about Margot. In the end, Darcey learns by following her heart, Margot did find a kind of happiness, even though it came at such a high price.
Created by legendary choreographer Sir Peter Wright, The Royal Ballet’s Production of The Nutcracker is the most lavish and best-loved Christmas ballet on the planet. This signature classic more than any other has come to define the scale, spectacle and technical prowess of the company.
For the first time in many years, the Royal Ballet gives access behind-the-scenes for a landmark 90 minute Christmas documentary, following the company as they prepare for the season’s production.
Also probably to be shown over Christmas
Darcey Bussell: Looking for Margot - BBC One
Margot Fonteyn has inspired generations of ballerinas. She was beautiful, brilliant, talented and never put a foot wrong on stage. Her late flowering partnering with Rudolf Nureyev created the most dazzling ballet partnership in history. And yet behind-the-scenes, as Darcey Bussell discovers, Margot’s life was marked by tragedy and disappointment. She barely knew her father, and was dominated by her well-meaning yet fiercely ambitious mother. She couldn’t find love, and never had children. And when she finally did marry, to a man she loved from afar for many years, he turned out to be very different than she expected: a hero to his people, but not always to his wife.
Darcey Bussell visits the Royal Opera House and the Royal Ballet, and travels from London to New York and Panama looking for Margot. She finds how Margot lost out in love, got drawn into a failed foreign revolution, danced on for far too long, and died alone and in poverty, miles from home. Along the way Darcey speaks to many people who have not spoken out before about Margot. In the end, Darcey learns by following her heart, Margot did find a kind of happiness, even though it came at such a high price.
