GREAT PERFORMANCES: DANCE IN AMERICA: THE SAN FRANCISCO BALLET: THE TEMPEST (TV)
Summary
One in this dance series presented under the umbrella of "Great Performances." This program features the San Francisco Ballet performing Michael Smuin's "The Tempest," based on the play by William Shakespeare. Host Gene Kelly opens the program with a brief history of the San Francisco Ballet, the nation's third largest ballet company. Act One opens with Shakespeare standing at his desk, writing the story of Prospero, the Duke of Milan, whose crown has been usurped by his brother, Antonio, and the King of Naples. With his daughter, Miranda, Prospero is exiled to an enchanted island where his magic arts give him power over Ariel, a benevolent spirit, and Caliban, a frightful savage. Twelve years later, a ship passes the island, carrying the King of Naples, his son, Ferdinand, and Antonio. In order to lure the vessel, Prospero tells Ariel and his water sprites create a tempest, and the shipwrecked passengers are cast upon the shore. Prospero then arranges for Ferdinand to meet and fall in love with the beautiful Miranda, conjures up a magic banquet to bewilder the lords, and then uses the sprites to torment the scheming Caliban -- all in an effort to regain his rightful crown. Intermission features footage of the company preparing for the performance. Highlights include: dancers Ficzere, Cisneros, and Ruud practicing; costume designer Willa Kim utilizing her philosophy of "abbreviation" to create a costume; set designer Tony Walton planning the stage by using a diorama as a model; and composer Paul Chihara explaining the difficulties of using Purcell's music in modern ballet. Kelly then interviews choreographer Michael Smuin, who elaborates on the following topics: the visual, magical, and romantic aspects of the play; Prospero's special love for Ariel; the inspiration Smuin receives from Purcell's music, and from Shakespeare and Petipa; his interest in producing original, full-length ballets; his choice of collaborators who are familiar with Hollywood and Broadway, rather than ballet; the plethora of good roles for male dancers in "The Tempest"; and his use of ragtime, jazz, blues, and other forms of modern music in the Act Two Restoration masque ball. In Act Two, Prospero sanctions the marriage of Miranda and Ferdinand. To celebrate their betrothal, he summons gods and goddesses to dance at a ceremonial masque. Performing at this festive occasion are Juno, Neptune, Ceres, Bacchus, and Iris, among others. Prospero then gathers the shipwrecked party together and all previous conflicts are resolved. Antonio, repentant, returns the crown to Prospero, and in a sad farewell, Prospero sets his beloved servant, Ariel, free. The ballet concludes as Shakespeare appears, reading to himself the end of his magical tale.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: March 30, 1981 Monday 8:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:59:41
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T81:0505
- GENRE: Dance
- SUBJECT HEADING: Dance
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1976-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Jac Venza … Executive Producer
- Judy Flannery … Coordinating Producer
- Sam Paul … Coordinating Producer
- Emile Ardolino … Producer, Director
- Judy Kinberg … Producer
- Ken Short … Associate Producer
- Cobbett Steinberg … Writer, Based on the play by William Shakespeare
- Henry Purcell … Composer
- Paul Seiko Chihara … Composer, Electronic music by
- Craig Hundley … Composer, Electronic music by
- de Coteau, Denis … Conductor
- Michael Smuin … Choreographer
- Performing Arts Orchestra, The … Symphony Orchestra
- Gene Kelly … Host
- Nigel Courtney … Cast, Shakespeare, Dancer
- Attilla Ficzere … Cast, Prospero, Dancer
- Zoltan Peter … Cast, Antonio, Dancer
- David McNaughton … Cast, Ariel, Dancer
- Evelyn Cisneros … Cast, Miranda, Dancer
- Val Caniparoli … Cast, Alonso, Dancer
- Alexander Filipov … Cast, Sebastian and a Centaur, Dancer
- Tomm Ruud … Cast, Ferdinand, Dancer
- Jonathan Miller … Cast, Gonzalo, Dancer
- Antonio Lopez … Cast, Trinculo and a Satyr, Dancer
- Andre Reyes … Cast, Stephano, Dancer
- Horacio Cifuentes … Cast, Caliban, Dancer
- Anita Paciotti … Cast, a Seductress, Dancer
- Paula Tracy … Cast, a Seductress, Dancer
- Carmella Zegarelli … Cast, a Seductress, Dancer
- Jamie Zimmerman … Cast, a Seductress, Dancer
- Lynda Meyer … Cast, Juno, Dancer
- Vane Vest … Cast, Neptune, Dancer
- Nancy Dickson … Cast, Corn, Dancer
- Victoria Morgan … Cast, Wheat, Dancer
- Vivian Little … Cast, Barley, Dancer
- Damara Bennett … Cast, Rye, Dancer
- Paula Tracy … Cast, Ceres, Dancer
- John Mourelatos … Cast, a Satyr, Dancer
- Victor Pesina … Cast, a Satyr, Dancer
- Don Schwennesen … Cast, a Satyr, Dancer
- Jim Sohm … Cast, Bacchus, Dancer
- Betsy Erickson … Cast, Iris, Dancer
- Carol Andersen … Dancer
- Catherine Batcheller … Dancer
- Lori Bodine … Dancer
- Katherine Cox … Dancer
- Mercedes David … Dancer
- Ann Foley … Dancer
- Shelley Gilchrist … Dance
- Anastasia Glimidakis … Dancer
- Eda Holmes … Dancer
- Natalie Kohn … Dancer
- Linda Montaner … Dancer
- Kristine Peary … Dancer
- Vantania Pelzer … Dancer
- Alexander Topciy … Dancer
- Van Dyck, Wendy … Dancer
- Cynthia Wood … Dancer
- Horacio Cifuentes … Dancer/Dancer Company, with others
- Marius Petipa
- Henry Purcell
- William Shakespeare