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The Royal Ballet: Mayerling

Darcey Bussell and Ore Oduba introduce Kenneth MacMillan鈥檚 dark and intense ballet, Mayerling.

Darcey Bussell and Ore Oduba introduce Kenneth MacMillan鈥檚 Mayerling from the Royal Ballet. Based on the true story of the death of Crown Prince Rudolf and his young mistress Mary Vetsera in 1889, Steven McRae and Sarah Lamb take on these challenging roles in a dark and intense ballet.

The emotionally unstable Crown Prince Rudolf is haunted by an obsession with death. Pressured to marry Princess Stephanie, his former lover, Marie Larisch, introduces him to Mary Vetsera, who shares his morbid fascination.

At his hunting lodge in the village of Mayerling, Rudolf and Mary form a suicide pact. They make love before Rudolf shoots Mary and then himself. In their despair, the royal family covers up the tragedy.

Premiered in 1978, Mayerling is considered one of the most difficult ballets, both technically and emotionally, for male dancers in the repertoire, with choreography that pushes the boundaries of the classical genre.

2 hours, 14 minutes

Last on

Sun 15 Mar 2020 21:00
主播大秀 Four

Music Played

Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes

  • 00:58

    Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Fritz Reiner

    Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514

  • 01:05

    Leonard Bernstein, New York Philharmonic Orchestra

    A Faust Symphony, S. 108: Iiia. Mephistopheles. Allegro Vivace, Ironico

  • 01:36

    Ange

    Biafra 80

  • 01:44

    Rowetta

    Somewhere

Credits

Presenter Darcey Bussell
Presenter Ore Oduba
Mary Vetsera Sarah Lamb
Crown Prince Rudolf Steven McRae
Director Ross MacGibbon
Executive Producer Tony Followell
Producer Peter Jones

Broadcast

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