Queen Margrethe: Work as an Artist and Scenographer


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What was the very first painting that Queen Margrethe II had in an exhibition?
 
Dronningen nægter at lave nuttet ballet

QMII is to be the scenographer for a ballet, Cinderella. And it is not going to be a cute version!
"We've tried to knit the story about Cinderella together a bit differently. I've allowed myself freedom in regards to time, place and fashion and I will not make a cute ballet. It is going to have a little bite".

How about the mouse?
"I've only seen the Disney-movie once when I was 10-12 years old. I don't know where you find those mice in the ballet. But the stepsisters are still there and they are fun, I think". :D:witch::witch:
 
This is a very merry interview with QMII who has discovered Skype.

Summary of interview in Billed Bladet #21, 2016.
Written by Trine Larsen.

QMII's job as scenographer for the ballet Cinderella is almost complete now and as such the sketches were presented to the press. And it was indeed a very glad QMII who answered questions.

This time the production team is spread all over the world. QMII and the head of the ballet in Copenhagen, the choreographer, Yuri Possokhov, in San Francisco. The composer, Oh Land, in New York.
So meetings were via Skype.

Q: Skype-meetings... Your Majesty... that sure is something new!
QMII: "You bet it is. (Laughing). But as long as someone else push the buttons it's perfectly alright with me".

Q: What does Your Majesty think about such a way to hold meetings?
QMII: "Why, it's totally fantastic. Really. That it's possible to work that way. We'd simply never had the opportunity to meet, if it wasn't in that fashion. It's fantastic that you can do things like that nowadays and I actually think we benefitted very much from it".

Q: Did it provide You of the opportunity to hear some of the music and that You (formal You naturally) could show your sketches with what You had in mind?
QMII: "Yes, but it's just as much the fact that you can meet and see each others faces, while talking about the work. In such a process here it means everything/a lot (as in crucial), rather than just sitting like this... (holding her hand to her ear as if using an analog telephone. then she laughs and holds her hand like holding a mobile)... Oh, no, like such a thing".

This is not going to be a cute performance! No Disney Show here, which QMII has seen only once when she was a young teen. And the step-sisters will also be different: "... Well, of course the two stepsisters and the stepmother are dreadful types, but they are not fat (*) and grotesque. They are some long and slim girls as you can tell from the sketches. Also because they must be able to dance. They are not just meant to sit on their bottom".

This is not the classical H.C. Andersen fairy tale, but rather a mix of several Cinderella stories going back some 1.000 years.

Q: What costumes have been the most fun to create?
QMII: "Perhaps the bad stepsisters. It's always funnier to create the bad ones"!

A few weeks ago QMII went to London to pick fabrics for the costumes and she also went to Royal Opera House Convent Garden, which has a brilliant costume department and they are sewing the costumes.
So now QMII's job is almost done. There are a few details here and there and fittings but now it's more up to the dancers and choreographer.


(*) Actually QMII use a less offensive word than fat, which in Danish context means very obese and floppy. She use a word that is more akin to portly, but a more fat than that.
 
its so lovely to read this aspect of her. and that she has discovered Skype;)
 
Its an amazing side of the queen to see :flowers: It is one thing to be a fan of the ballet, many royals seem to be, but she is truly passionate. And has real skill behind it as well. I am glad she has not allowed being queen to stop her from being able to explore that side.
 
Rystende knæ og kolde fingerspidser: Dronningen har nerver på

I a few days the premiere of the ballet, Cinderella, QMII has been working on takes place and on that occasion there was a press conference, where QMII among other things spoke about having premiere-jitters.
"That (nerves) is something all of the involved have, I think, otherwise you wouldn't be right in your mind.
It's after all always with butterflies in the stomach, a bit shaky knees and cold fingertips. It's very thrilling but it'll be alright".

It will not be a cute story a la Disney's.
"That's not the one we are flirting with. It's important for us that it won't be bloody or cute, but we have included both fairly tale and the grotesque".

QMII's Cinderella will full of humor and emotions and while there are lots of colors on the set, pink is not dominant!
"As a child I was absolutely allergic to the notion of pink princesses".

QMII hopes for the best even though she started working on the scenography before the steps and music was in place.
"One can never get away with doing less than your best and I just hope that's sufficient".

ADDED: Here is a BB clip: http://www.billedbladet.dk/kongelige/danmark/video-dronning-margrethe-nervoes-foer-premiere
With samples from the ballet.
QMII pretty much says what has been written above - except for the part in English.
 
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Saturday evening QMII went to see the premiere of Cinderella and also went on stage together with the others who had worked behind the scenes.
Dronning Margrethe til premiere på Askepot | BILLED-BLADET

Lasting some 30 minutes it appears to be a child-friendly show - and it's free.
I think it's pretty safe to say that we will see some of QMII's grandchildren watching this within the next couple of weeks. - Perhaps especially Bella, who is fond of dancing.
 
Thanks, Iceflower. :flowers:

It's refreshing to learn that QMII can still sit among ordinary people. (There are no special seats in front of the Pantomine Theater in Tivoli.) - A pity quite a few looked more at her than the performance.
 
What makes me happy is knowing that QM can and does keep active in things that she loves to do such as the costumes and being actively involved in productions. She's a natural at it and her artistic nature shines in just about everything she does. A very multi talented Queen.
 
I think I've put it all together. In the recent pictures we see a Prince Henrik as the walking, breathing Zorba the Grape. It is any wonder that QM appreciates this with her flair for vibrancy in color and self expression? It just may be one of the many things that endear the couple to each other. :D
 
:previous:
If I was ever granted a wish it would be to spend a full day with this woman, Queen Daisy, be it in a dig somewhere looking for artifacts and getting dirty or sitting down and working on needlework with her drinking what ever. This woman to me is so remarkable in her personal interests of what she enjoys in life. That would really be the icing on the cake for me.....?
 
That was an impressive dachshund she made there!
 
What was the very first piece of art work that Queen Margrethe II did?
 
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