| January |
The start of Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet's British tour was cancelled because of a dispute with their orchestra. |
February |
The famous film of Antonio Gades' 'Blood Wedding' opened in London.
Briony Brind made a highly publicised debut in the Shades scene from 'La Bayadère', dancing with Nureyev in his own production. On the same night, Wendy Ellis fell on-stage whilst dancing the lead in 'Two Pigeons' and broke both her wrists - Lesley Collier took over almost instantly. |
March |
Top of the annual Dance & Dancers poll for outstanding performances were Stephen Jefferies and Jennifer Penney (both RB). Brind and Ashley Page were voted 'most promising newcomers', David Bintley's 'Night Moves' was the best liked ballet, and Macmillan's 'Isadora' the most disliked.
Scottish Ballet took Cranko's 'Romeo and Juliet' into its repertoire; Elaine McDonald and Davide Bombana were the first cast. |
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April |
Antoinette Sibley, who had retired 3 years earlier due to constant injuries, returned in triumph to the Royal Ballet in her created role of Titania in Ashton's 'The Dream', - renewing her celebrated partnership with Anthony Dowell.
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May |
A new contemporary group, Second Stride, gave its first performances, with a distinguished line-up of choreographers - Siobhan Davies, Ian Spink and Richard Alston. |
June |
Marie Rambert died, aged 94. One of the 2 chief architects of British ballet, she had discovered and encouraged a whole series of choreographers, including two of the century's greatest - Ashton and Tudor. She had guided her company from its small beginnings to its then position as the leading 'modern ballet' company in the coutry, and left a priceless inheritance.
The Kirov Ballet were on tour in Paris, where the Shades in 'Bayadère' were led on by a new name - Altynai Asylmuratova. She later danced the lead in extracts from 'Esmeralda' and had 'all Paris at her feet'.
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July |
The new Royal Opera House extension, incuding two large studios for the Royal Ballet, was opened by Prince Charles.
The Paris Opera Ballet was at the ROH (the last time they've been seen in London) with 'La Sylphide' and John Neumeier's 'Le Songe d'une Nuit d'Eté'. Elisabeth Platel was the discovery of the season for most people.
The Royal Ballet School's annual performance featured 'Giselle', with Leanne Benjamin and Jonathan Cope (replacing the injured Bruce Sansom) in the leads. The Bush Davies School's annual show was 'Cinderella', and dancing the title role at some performances was the 17 year old Josephine Jewkes.
Ballet Rambert has it's first season in the Big Top at Battersea Park (next to the Thames).
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August |
Michael Clark and his company presented their first show, at the Riverside in Hammersmith.
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September |
Christopher Gable's Central School of Ballet opened in London.
David Bintley's first 3 act ballet, 'The Swan of Tuonela', had its first performance at Sadler's Wells, with David Ashmole giving one of his finest performance as the hero ( - no, not the Swan!).
Also at Sadler's Wells was the Pina Bausch company, and Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane made their first London appearance this month. |
October |
Alessandra Ferri made her debut as Mary Vetsera in Macmillan's 'Mayerling' at Covent Garden: 'a total triumph', according to the Dancing Times.
The Royal Winnipeg Ballet were at Sadler's Wells - Evelyn Hart was already a principal and already described as 'incomparable'. |
December |
The Royal Ballet gave the first performance of Nureyev's 'The Tempest' at the ROH. |
.....It is time that [the RB and the Royal Opera] were split and the Arts Council ought to insist on this happening...
The Royal Opera House probably has no wish to antagonise its regular ballet audience, but its policies over quite a period seem to have had that effect.'
Next Month
The year we'll be looking at will be 1958. Anyone with particular memories of that year, or requests for items to be included, should write to us!
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