The King Who Invented Ballet: Louis XIV and the Noble Art of Dance
Film looking at how Louis XIV not only had a passion and talent for dance, but supported and promoted innovations that would lay the foundations for classical ballet to develop.
September 2015 marks the 300th anniversary of the death of King Louis XIV of France and this documentary looks at how Louis XIV not only had a personal passion and talent for dance, but supported and promoted key innovations, like the invention of dance notation and the founding of the world's first ballet school, that would lay the foundations for classical ballet to develop.
Presented by David Bintley, choreographer and director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, the documentary charts how Louis encouraged the early evolution of ballet - from a male-dominated performance exclusive to the royal court to a professional artform for the public featuring the first female star ballerinas. The film also looks at the social context of dance during Louis XIV's reign, where ballets were used as propaganda and to be able to dance was an essential skill that anyone noble had to have.
As well as specially shot baroque dance sequences and groundbreaking recreations of 17th-century music, it also follows Bintley as he creates an exciting new one-act ballet inspired by Louis XIV. Danced by 15 members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, The King Dances features an original score by composer Stephen Montague, designs by Katrina Lindsay and lighting by Peter Mumford and receives its world premiere on television directly after the documentary.
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Clips
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Ensemble Correspondances
Duration: 03:25
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Entree d'Apollon
Duration: 01:11
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Armide Female Solo
Duration: 02:10
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Passacaille
Duration: 01:15
Music Played
Timings (where shown) are from the start of the programme in hours and minutes
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Marc‐Antoine Charpentier
Plenu Sunt Coeli Et Terra
Performer: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Conductor: Philip Ledger. Performer: Orchestra of St Martin in the Fields.- EMI Classics.
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James Michael Kerr
Out of the Black
Performer: Royal Blood. Composer: Ben Thatcher.- Warner Music UK Ltd.
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George Harrison
Here Comes The Sun
Performer: Peter Rostal. Conductor: Ron Goodwin. Performer: Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Performer: Paul Schaefer.- HMV Classics.
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Henry William Duffy
Sun King
Performer: The Cult. Composer: Ian Astbury.- Beggars Banquet.
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Marc‐Antoine Charpentier
Plenu Sunt Coeli Et Terra
Performer: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Conductor: Philip Ledger. Performer: Orchestra of St Martin in the Fields.- EMI Classics.
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Alexandre Michel Gerard Desplat
Daisy's Ballet Career
Performer: Alexandre Desplat.- Universal-Island Records Ltd.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée d'Apollon
Performer: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: William Christie.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée - from Persee
Performer: Les Talens Lyriques. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.- Erato.
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Nino Rota
The Godfather Waltz (main theme)
Conductor: Carlo Savina.- Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
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Stephen Montague
The King Dances
Performer: Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Conductor: Paul Murphy.- United Music Publishing Ltd.
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Isham Jones
I'll See You In My Dreams
Performer: Django Reinhardt. Composer: Gus Kahn.- Cherry Red Records.
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Georges Delerue
Day for Night
Performer: London Sinfonietta. Conductor: Hugo Wolff.- Nonesuch Records.
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John Lennon
Sun King
Performer: Booker T. & the MG’s. Composer: Paul McCartney. Composer: George Harrison.- Angel Air Records.
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Ensemble Correspondances
Entrée du Roy representant le Soleil levant
Conductor: Sébastien Daucé.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Ladyhawke
Magic
- Universal/Island.
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George Harrison
Here Comes The Sun
Performer: Urban Voices Collective.- Universal Music Operations.
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André Campra
Le Jardin de Monsieur Rameau
Performer: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: William Christie.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Anne Dudley
Jeeves and Wooster Main Theme
Performer: Dover Street Jazzomaniacs. Conductor: Anne Dudley.- Universal Music Publishing.
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André Campra
Le Jardin de Monsieur Rameau
Performer: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: William Christie.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Nino Rota
The Godfather Waltz (main theme)
Conductor: Carlo Savina.- Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
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Prince
Girls and Boys
Performer: The Revolution.- Carlin Music Corp.
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Martin Solveig
Boys and Girls
Performer: Martin Solveig. Performer: Dragonette.- Temps D'Avance.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée - from Persee
Performer: Les Talens Lyriques. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.- Erato.
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Marie-Claire Gaurichon
J'ai Tant Escamote
Performer: Zaz. Composer: Emannuel Xavier. Composer: Moshe Ilan Abou. Composer: Thierry Faure.- Sony/ATV Music Publishing Ltd.
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Svein Berge
Coupe de Grace
Performer: Röyksopp. Composer: Torbjørn Brundtland.- Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
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Yann Tiersen
L'autre valse d'Amelie
- Universal Publishing.
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Timothy Peter Hart
A Moments Grace
Performer: Boy & Bear. Composer: Andrew David Hosking. Composer: Killian Gavin. Composer: Jonathan Nicholas Hart.- Sony/ATV Music UK Ltd.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée - from Persee
Performer: Les Talens Lyriques. Conductor: Christophe Rousset.- Erato.
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Liam James Fry
Money
Performer: Courteeners.- Universal Music Publishing.
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Ensemble Correspondances
Entrée du Roy representant le Soleil levant
Conductor: Sébastien Daucé.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Martin Kerszenbaum
The Fame (Glam as you remix)
Performer: Lady Gaga. Composer: Stefani Germanotta.- Polydor.
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Allen Toussaint
Here Come the Girls
Performer: Ernie K‐Doe.- EMI Music Ltd.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Entrée d'Apollon
Performer: Les Arts Florissants. Conductor: William Christie.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Jean‐Baptiste Lully
Armide
Performer: Choir and Orchestra of the Collegium Vocale and the Chapelle Royale. Conductor: Philippe Herreweghe.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Loreena McKennitt
Dante's Prayer
Performer: Loreena McKennitt.- Universal Music Publishing International Ltd.
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Royce C Swain
In the Evening
Performer: Jimmy Witherspoon.- Carlin Music Corp.
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Abner Silver
Chasing Shadows
Performer: Django Reinhardt and Stephane Grappelli. Composer: Benny Davis.- Warner Chappell North America Ltd.
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Royce C Swain
In the Evening
Performer: Jimmy Witherspoon.- Carlin Music Corp.
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Gustave Roger Samyn
Tous les garcons et les filles
Performer: Françoise Hardy. Composer: Francoise Madeleine Hardy.- Alpha Music Publishing Ltd.
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Lester Melrose
Rising Sun Shine On
Performer: Big Bill Broonzy.- Collectors Edition.
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Amanda Sophie Barker
Los Elefantes
Performer: Haiku Salut. Composer: Gemma Louise Barkerwood. Composer: Louise Croft.- How Does It Feel To Be Loved?.
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Henry William Duffy
Sun King
Performer: The Cult. Composer: Ian Astbury.- Beggars Banquet.
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Ensemble Correspondances
Entrée du Roy representant le Soleil levant
Conductor: Sébastien Daucé.- Harmonia Mundi.
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Stephen Montague
The King Dances
Performer: Royal Ballet Sinfonia. Conductor: Paul Murphy.- United Music Publishing Ltd.
Credits
| Role | Contributor |
|---|---|
| Presenter | David Bintley |
| Director | Paul Wu |
| Producer | Paul Wu |
| Executive Producer | Mark Cooper |
| Participant | Christine Bayle |
| Participant | Mickael Bouffard |
| Participant | Julia Buhrle |
| Participant | Marie-Claude Canova Green |
| Participant | Sebastien Dauce |
| Participant | Catherine Guilyardi |
| Participant | Hubert Hazebroucq |
| Participant | Elisabeth Platel |
| Participant | Yann Sordet |
| Participant | Jennifer Thorp |
| Performer | Birmingham Royal Ballet |
| Orchestra | Royal Ballet Sinfonia |
| Conductor | Paul Murphy |
| Choreographer | David Bintley |
| Composer | Stephen Montague |
| Set Designer | Katrina Lindsay |
| Lighting | Peter Mumford |
Broadcast
- Sun 13 Sep 2015 20:00