Christopher Hampson, In Prague with family....
	Christopher Hampson, formerly a dancer and choreographer with ENB, has been keeping a diary for us since November 97. Initially he covered the creation of his new ballet ‘Country Garden’ but since then there have been lots of other ballets, and he is now a freelance choreographer. Here is a link to the previous column in the series. Link to later column.     Hampson diary index This just came in from him on the last dy of September... Prague... August meant Prague, and it proved, once again, to be a city to spend any amount of time in. I was there for almost three weeks. Having been invited to teach a company called Laterna Magika for one week, I intended to spend the rest of my stay getting my head together for my forthcoming commission for ENB (Double Concerto). Just as I thought, by the end of the first week I had been introduced to many people and ended up working for most of the remaining time. I was not drinking alone in Prague. For the first week I was with Muppet (co-producer of Christmas Carol), Daria Klimentova (his wife and principal in my new work for ENB), Vlad (Senior Soloist with ENB) and Jonathan (you should really know who he is by now). All in all, a family affair! The second week I taught at the Prague Academy. This is a full-time school, but at this time of year it holds a Summer School for students from all over the Czech Republic. Their performances were impressive, inspired and well presented. To give you an idea the sort of outlook they have for the future, next years performance includes Christopher Bruce's Sergeant Early's Dream. I think I'll be seeing them again. The third week, I was blessed by a return visit from Jonathan. The National Ballet Company studios are situated across the road from the bar that became our own, next to Karlov Most, so it seemed only natural that we should end up taking our skills in there before we embarked on our breakfast beer. In truth our invitation came from the National Theatre and nerves aside with both enjoyed the experience. New ENB piece... September was a return to London and to a place that feels like home, English National Ballet, to start work on Double Concerto. I said I'd fill in you on this, so here are the facts: Music: Poulenc, Concerto in D Minor for two pianos Design: Fido Cast: At the moment I've hit 38 people, but numbers could come down. I've been looking forward to working back at ENB. Lots of new people and my chance to work with "tutus". I've been working in the studio for 3 weeks now and I loathe the days where other work commitments take me away from this piece for longer than a couple of days. The score is a challenge. Poulenc, is quick witted with his music as well as his tempos and I'm working hard with the pianists to keep the energetic feel of the score in place. It's the casual throwing away of musical themes that makes this concerto so unusual. My phone bills have rocketed as I have to talk with Fido in New Zealand regarding all aspects of design and other things in the pipeline (all in good time). Christmas Carol.... December is upon me already. In fact Christmas is here. While the above has been going I've also been involved with getting Christmas Carol organised for its forthcoming trip to St. David's Hall, Cardiff. Muppet and Roger (Technical Director) have embarked on making sure the production fits and Caroline and myself have been scouring Wales for Tiny Tims. I'm also creating a new work at home called Cuisine this was to premiere on Tuesday but the fitters weren't able to come so I await their arrival on Thursday. (That's builders for your Chris - no sense of occasion! Ed)
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