to want you all to watch Fonteyn and Nureyev on iPlayer

[Lionessadmirer]

Happy Monday Mumsnet.

so - last night the BBC showed Margot Fonteyn and Rudolph Nureyev in Prokoviev's Romeo and Juliet.

I can't remember the last time something engaged me (got me off my ipad) so much. And that despite the slightly dodgy visual quality and the wobbly credits (think Acorn Antiques).

What got me was that Fonteyn seemed to take me through a whole life. First the bit when you are waiting for something to happen and trusting and optimistic. Then the plunge into love and surrender. Then a whole other stage of life when the love is still there but you have hurt each other deeply too. Then the end, knowing you can't pull away from each other but you can't make things right with other people either.

I think she was old for playing Juliet (in her 30s?) but she seems to have turned that into a plus - she put all her life experience into depicting a life journey that somehow both took a few days and yet covered a whole life.

And the music.........

that's all. It's on iPlayer. Guaranteed to improve quality of life x

@XelaM I saw that production by the Bolshoi. We loved it. Different, fresh and my God, such strong sinuey dancers. We were row E where you see the muscles working. Definitely not unwatchable. Different!

Fantastic. I knew Margot Fonteyn was too old to be Juliet really, but I forgot her real age, when she was dancing - she appeared as fit as a 20 year old. Great chemistry or acting between them! Nureyev made his dancing look effortless!

From what I've seen of Margot Fonteyn 'being herself' as well as dancing roles, she seems to have been the most gracious, sensitive, cultured and elegant person as well as a great talent.

I really admire her, but I think her life ended sadly. Her husband died (in S America?) and she was pretty much left destitute.

@viques I saw the Royal Ballet perform this a few years ago. It’s truly an amazing scene with a limp Juliet yet so controlled.

Yes I thought she on the older side for Juliet’s mother let alone Juliet! The RB production has changed little, saw it twice last year.

She was born in 1919 and I think this performance was 1965. I might be wrong. But mid 40s. Her face doesn’t look like a 30 year old.