Dance Talks | Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s Mayerling

Look inside Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s “Mayerling,” an epic triumph in classical storytelling revealing the dark tale of Crown Prince Rudolf, the sole heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire in the 1880s. Principals Chase O’Connell and Karina González, and Soloist Bridget Kuhns provide insight into the story, characters, and preparation for this endurance-testing and psychologically thrilling masterpiece.
0:00 Introductions
2:17 HB/MacMillan History
3:00 Q: Why is MacMillan’s work important to ballet and to you as an artist?
6:55 Q: Can you share about who Prince Rudolf is and how he may differ from other lead roles?
9:00 Q: How do you (Chase) get inside a dark character like Rudolf?
10:30 Q: How do you (Chase) manage a more aggressive pas de deux to make it believable but also safe?
12:15 Q: How did the stager introduce being both aggressive and safe?
13:28 Karina’s take on being both aggressive and safe on stage
16:15 Q: How do you prepare for this role physically and mentally?
19:15 Q: Has Connor given Chase any advice or thoughts?
20:14 Looking at the relationship between Rudolf and the 5 women
20:43 Relationship with the Mother
23:17 Intentions behind the pas de deux movement
24:12 Briget’s thoughts on Empress Elizabeth
25:31 Dancers’ takes on Countess Marie Larisch role in Rudolf’s life and demise
32:32 Bridget and dancers speak on their experience with the character Mitzi
36:52 Karina’s experience playing Mary now and playing her again
40:57 Q: Do you think this is something Mary actually wants to follow through with?
43:45 Q: Do you think Mary feels power over Rudolf? Over herself?
48:40 Audience Q&A: How do you prepare mentally for each role and performance?
55:04 Audience Q&A: How accessible is this story to 21st century audiences and characters? Is there relevance?
57:35 Audience Q&A: Can you sense the audience’s presence? Is applause disruptive?
59:12 Audience Q&A: For Karina, would you be willing to share unique challenges after coming back from maternity?
60:28 Closing Remarks and Thanks

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