UNITED KINGDOM: HAMPTON COURT PALACE HOLDS IT'S ANNUAL MUSICAL FESTIVAL INCLUDING ROYAL BALLET DANCER DARCEY BUSSELL

Record ID: 388510

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: HAMPTON COURT PALACE HOLDS IT'S ANNUAL MUSICAL FESTIVAL INCLUDING ROYAL BALLET DANCER DARCEY BUSSELL
  • Date: 19th June 1999
  • Summary: (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DARCEY BUSSELL SAYS "It was very weird being back here dressing - getting ready for the show - you did feel a very kind of weird feeling - I don't know if it was just nerves - but I think from the age of the building and what's gone on in this building."
  • Embargoed: 4th July 1999 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: HAMPTON COURT PALACE, WEST LONDON, U.K.
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Entertainment,General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEW9MAAX6YD21YO9SIMRRWG4GC
  • Story Text: Scene of five hundred years of British royal history,
    the beautiful stately home of Hampton Court Palace stages its
    annual Musical Festival this week - with Royal Ballet Prima
    Ballerina Darcey Bussell enchanting the picnicking audience
    with a collection of her ballet favourites




    Founded in 1993, and now in its seventh seaon, the
    Hampton Court Palace Festival has firmly established itself as
    one of the most prestious and unique events in London's social
    'season.'
    The beautiful Tudor palace on the outskirts of London
    was once home for Henry the Eighth and his Tudor and Stuart
    descendants.

    Today it's one of Britain's most popular tourist
    attractions - and enhancing that appeal is an annual music
    fest that has seen some of the world's top acts performing in
    the unique open air arena that is 'Base Court', a beautiful
    courtyard in the heart of the palace.

    Performers this year included Lesley Garrett and Kiri Te
    Kanawa and Royal Ballet Prima Ballerina Darcey Bussell - the
    only performer allowing media coverage.

    The audience enjoyed an open-air picnic in the palace
    grounds - before taking their seats in Base Court and watcing
    Darcey perform a collection of her favourite dances.

    She performed with half a dozen friends, past and
    present members of the Royal Ballet, dancing with Adam Cooper
    to the "Seguidilla" from Bizet's Carmen, and Christopher
    Wheeldon's staging of the Ravel Pavane, Stravinsky's Pas de
    Deux from Agon and the finale choreographed by William Tuckett
    set to Michael Torke's score.

    But had Darcey enjoyed performing in the open-air?
    "It's different," I said.

    "I don't know if I'd do it again because it's incredibly
    hard - it's a different stage and lighting and the atmosphere
    is very different than a theatre and not being able to get on
    stage because there's no curtain at the front of the stage -
    which is hard not being able to practise something on the day
    of show on stage is nerve wracking - but quite, quite an
    experience I'm glad I did it."
    The festival ends this weekend - with a firework finale
    - amidst a rousing chorus of pomp
    and circumstance.
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