Still Life at the Penguin Cafe: Difference between revisions
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==Recordings and Publications== |
==Recordings and Publications== |
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All recordings are out-of-print (as of November 2007) and can only be obtained used from resellers. |
All audio recordings are out-of-print (as of November 2007) and can only be obtained used from resellers. The sheet music from Editions Peters is still in print. |
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*Laser Disk: London/Decca #071 222-1 (1991) |
*Laser Disk: London/Decca #071 222-1 (1991). See production details above for choreographer, etc. |
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*CD: Polygram records (1991) ASIN B00000E42T. BBC Orchestra, conducted by Barry Wordsworth |
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*Sheet music, arranged for piano by Henry Roche. Published by Peters Edition Ltd (London) 2002; ISBN 0-9542720-0-5 |
*Sheet music, arranged for piano by Henry Roche. Published by Peters Edition Ltd (London) 2002; ISBN 0-9542720-0-5 |
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*VHS tape - Polygram Records; ASIN 630202367X, 1992 |
*VHS tape - Polygram Records; ASIN 630202367X, 1992 |
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Revision as of 19:22, 25 November 2007
Still Life at the Penguin Cafe is ballet composed by Simon Jeffes and choreographed by David Bintley. The ballet's initial production was produced in England by Portobello Productions, RM Arts, and Thames Television in 1987. The music for the ballet was drawn from several musical pieces composed by Jeffes before the ballet was conceived. Jeffes orchestrated the pieces (originally written for guitar, or small acoustic ensembles) for the ballet. The ballet was filmed in 1988 by London Weekend Television and is available on Laser Disk, but is not yet available (as of November 2007) on DVD.
Ballet Story
The pieces or segments in the ballet include:
- The Penguin Cafe
- Utah Longhorn Ram
- Texan Kangaroo Rat
- Humboltts' Hog Nosed Skunk Fela
- Southern Cape Zegra
- Rain Forest People
- Brazilian Woooly Mondy
- Conclusion
Story Line
The story is very sparse. A voice-over at the beginning (voiced by Jeremy Irons) describes how the Great Auk was very recently made extinct by man. The initial segment is set in a cafe, and several humans and penguins dance. Each subsequent segment prior to the conclusion shows an endangered species (or, in the case of the Rain Forest People, a culture). The Conclusion shows all the characters withstanding a downpour, and gather on an ark-like boat.
The overall theme of the ballet is pro-environement, pro-conservation. The ballet seeks to make the audience more aware of threatened species, and encourages the audience to be more aware of endangered species.
Production Details
From the 1987 production:
- Performed by the Royal Ballet
- Composed by Simon Jeffes
- Choreographed by David Bintley
- Designed by Hayden Griffin
- Music peformed by The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
- Conducted by Isaiah Jackson
Dancers
- Utah Longhorn Ram - Deborah Bull
- Ram Partner - Guy Niblett
- Texan Kangaroo Rat - Bruce Sansom
- Humboldt's Hog-nosed Skunk Flea -= fiona Brockway
- Southern Cape Zebra - Phillip Broomhead
- Rain Forest People - Tracy Brown, Jonathon Cope, Michelle di Lorenzo
- Braziilan Wooly Mondy - Stephen Jeffferies
- The Great Auk - Nicola Roberts
Recordings and Publications
All audio recordings are out-of-print (as of November 2007) and can only be obtained used from resellers. The sheet music from Editions Peters is still in print.
- Laser Disk: London/Decca #071 222-1 (1991). See production details above for choreographer, etc.
- CD: Polygram records (1991) ASIN B00000E42T. BBC Orchestra, conducted by Barry Wordsworth
- Sheet music, arranged for piano by Henry Roche. Published by Peters Edition Ltd (London) 2002; ISBN 0-9542720-0-5
- VHS tape - Polygram Records; ASIN 630202367X, 1992
- DVD - This ballet is not yet available on DVD.