Hers is one of those “brighter and hotter than the sun but burns out too soon” stories ripe for a Hollywood screenwriter’s picking. Add in her marriage to classical music’s golden boy of the day, pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim, and her public fall from grace due to her multiple sclerosis was the story of the tuxedoed set for more than just the concert season. From tragedy comes beauty, they say.
New Ballet Comes With Personal MS Connection
Some months ago, I was made aware, in a piece written by ITV presenter Julie Etchingham, that the Royal Ballet in London was set to perform a new production about du Pré’s life and loss called The Cellist in late February 2020. (The Royal Opera House canceled all shows because of the COVID-19 pandemic.) The choreographer of the production, Cathy Marston, is intimately familiar not only with the workings of modern ballet but also with multiple sclerosis: Marston’s mother has MS. To research movement for the dance, the dance company worked closely with the MS Society of the UK to understand how the disease works and how it affects those of us who have it. Principal dancer Lauren Cuthbertson also studied cello so she could better portray du Pré with all the passion and physicality we remember from the exquisite artist in her prime. Videos in the above-mentioned article as well as on the Royal Ballet’s website give the impression that The Cellist was an exciting and moving performance. Not only is Jacqueline du Pré’s story ideal for Hollywood but it is also well suited for the ballet that’s been created about her it would seem, as life and art come together. Wishing you and your family the best of health. Cheers, Trevis
