Barely is the paint dry in Cheltenham than I get invited to perform with another orchestra. This time in lovely Saffron Walden with the Uttlesforde Orchestra. Joining Swan Lake on the programme will be Curzon’s Robin Hood, Prokofiev favourite Peter & The Wolf, and an oddity: Patterson’s version of Belloc’s Rebecca Who Slammed Doors for […]
Category: Ella Bella
This is a post category for posts about Ella Bella Ballerina and includes posts imported from the original Ella Bella Ballerina blog on Google Blogger.
Ella Bella at the Cheltenham Music Festival
I confess I was nervous about the Ella Bella event in Cheltenham, at the prestigious Music Festival. Because of the distance, it wasn’t possible to have the usual run of rehearsals I have in Hatfield, nor be familiar with (and reassured by) technical arrangements, or get to know my colleagues and their needs. Furthermore, the […]
Cheer for me in Cheltenham!
With the concert in Cheltenham just days away, I am full on practising for the event at the Parabola Arts Centre. It feels quite different being on stage compared to the safety of my studio.
Scheherazade
The name Scheherazade immediately conjurs an Arabian Nights fantasy of flying carpets and magic lamps, geniis and princesses and beautiful palaces. These are the things that inspired Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov to write his extraordinary symphonic suite of the same name in 1888. It was a great success and remains his most popular work for orchestra. Rimsky-Korsakov […]
Petrushka pictures.
As promised, here are a few more illustrations from the lovely vintage “Stories from the Ballet” book, taken from lithographs by Sylvia Green. Also a section of the lovely endpapers, showing various characters. I suspect a whole series was planned – such a pity it never materialised! I’ve always had a love-hate relationship with Stravinsky’s […]
Ella Bella and the Crystal glass!
No, not a new book, but a beautiful and unexpected gift from the lovely Davidson family, who came all the way from Glasgow to last year’s Ella Bella concert. Scott Davidson works for GENCAIRN CRYSTAL and sent this engraved glass, together with one featuring “Katie”. Wasn’t that kind? What lovely people they must be and […]
Through a glass … brightly…?
The Scots have a reputation for being warm and friendly. I’ve always found them to be so. Nevertheless I was completely unprepared for the kindness and thoughtfulness of one particular family. A couple of days ago a parcel arrived from Glencairn Crystal, based near Glasgow. Inside were two champagne glasses, one engraved with an image […]
Vintage Tales from the Ballet!
Dearest Emma O’Donovan (formally at Hachette now at Templar Books) spotted this absolute gem and kindly bought it for me. What a beautiful book! Thank you Emma, such a thoughtful thing to do. I will reciprocate with trips to the ballet and cake! Published in 1946 by Sylvan Press in London, it retells just two […]
NEW BOOK PUBLISHED !
The latest KATIE book is now published… “Katie in Scotland”! And don’t forget you can watch me talking about Katie and Ella Bella live on the internet with the BBC in Glasgow. For more information, just follow the links!KATIE’S PICTURE SHOWSCOTTISH BOOK TRUSTBBC GLASGOW
Ella Bella’s Cheltenham debut!
Last year I was invited to the Cheltenham Literature Festival, but unfortunately a bout of Tonsilitis meant I had to cancel. Happily I have now been invited to make amends by appearing at the Cheltenham Music Festival 2011. I’ll be presenting an Ella Bella Children’s Concert with a wonderful live string quartet. They will play […]
