Margot Fonteyn Month continues here on the blog! We’ve looked at her early life, as well as her career on stage. One major aspect of her career on stage was her costumes. She danced during the Second World War, as well as in post-war Britain, when rationing limited fabric consumption for several years afterwards. However, the Royal Opera House did not skimp. For Style File Friday this week, we are looking at some of Dame Margot Fonteyn’s costumes! There are some spectacular looks that would still be wonderful on the stage to this day.
Odette in Swan Lake
I’ve seen two of Fonteyn’s Odile costumes in person- one at the Royal Opera House and one at the V&A. However, unfortunately, I’ve not seen her Odette tutu. (The Royal Opera House had a newer version of the Odette costume on display.) Both are iconic, but I would lean towards her white, Odette tutu as the better known. Her first performance as Odette and Odile came before the war in 1938, and she continued to perform it through 1973 (at the impressive age of 54). Swan Lake is one of the most well-known ballets, and I think that the images of Fonteyn as Odette helped cement its popularity in the mid-twentieth century.
Marguerite in Marguerite and Armand
Marguerite and Armand is one of the ballets that was specifically created on Fonteyn and Nureyev, and is still one of my favourite ballets. It follows a courtesan in her dying days after contracting tuberculosis, and shows flashbacks to her younger days and suitors. The red romantic tutu is one of the most striking costumes in ballet to this day. The costume is shown here on Lauren Cuthbertson, one of the Royal Ballet’s current principal dancers.
Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet
While she is known for her performances as Juliet, I actually prefer her costume that she wore as Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet. Incredibly, she performed as Lady Capulet in 1981- yes, at the age of 62! It is a less intensive role than Juliet, but it is still impressive at that age. I find that these costumes are less revered in ballet than the classical tutu style, or even the longer romantic tutu, but I think that they deserve more attention and love. (And yes, it does look very similar to the RWB’s Lady Capulet costume from the 1970s!)
The Firebird in The Firebird
As far as ballets go, The Firebird is fairly niche. It was created for Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes by Michael Fokine, and mixes a Russian folk tail with the Firebird from mythology. While it is an incredible ballet, it is not performed that often. However, the Royal Ballet did perform it in the late 1950s, henceforth Fonteyn as the Firebird. This is one of the most dazzling costumes that I have seen, and I do wish it would make a return to the stage more often than it does.
And if you want more of Margot’s fashion off the stage, you can read my post on her influence on fashion here!
Which of Margot Fonteyn’s costumes is your favourite?
Cheers,
The Historian
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