Opus Arte's video: Marston: The Cellist Ashton: The Two Pigeons The Royal Ballet

This special disc brings together two compelling works showing the dramatic range of Lauren Cuthbertson, and The Royal Ballet. Internationally acclaimed choreographer Cathy Marston, previously Associate Artist of The Royal Opera House and Director of Bern Ballett, created The Cellist for The Royal Ballet in 2020. The inspiration for her first work for the Royal Opera House Main Stage is the momentous life and career of cellist Jacqueline du Pré – from her discovery of the cello and her celebrity as one of its most extraordinary players, to her pain, frustration and struggle with multiple sclerosis. Composer Philip Feeney incorporates some of the most moving and powerful music for cello by Elgar, Beethoven, Fauré, Mendelssohn, Piatti, Rachmaninoff and Schubert into an exquisite score that is itself an homage to the cello. In The Two Pigeons, Lauren Cuthbertson and Vadim Muntagirov lead a charismatic cast in Ashton’s poignant and heart-warming reflection on love, based on an old French folk tale and first performed on Valentine’s Day 1961. Created by the Company’s Founder Choreographer, this recording captures The Royal Ballet’s famous skill and distinctive style as Barry Wordsworth conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in Messager’s rapturous score. The Cellist Lauren Cuthbertson The Instrument Marcelino Sambé The Conductor Matthew Ball The Young Girl Lauren Cuthbertson The Young Man Vadim Muntagirov A Neighbour Elizabeth McGorian A Gypsy Girl Fumi Kaneko Her Lover Ryoichi Hirano A Gypsy Boy Marcelino Sambé Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Conductor Andrea Molino (The Cellist) and Barry Wordsworth (The Two Pigeons) Solo Cello Hetty Snell (The Cellist) Choreographers Cathy Marston (The Cellist) and Frederick Ashton (The Two Pigeons) Composers Philip Feeney (The Cellist) and André Messager Designer Hildegard Bechtler (The Cellist) and Jacques Dupont (The Two Pigeons) Dramaturge Edward Kemp (The Cellist) Catalogue numbers: OA1363D (DVD) / OABD7310D (BLU-RAY) Release Date - October 2022 More information here: DVD - https://naxos.lnk.to/OA1363D Blu-Ray - https://naxos.lnk.to/OABD7310D