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1938
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World ballet was dominated by the various more-or-less Russian companies touring the globe under titles usually containing the words 'Ballets Russes'. The competition between them, and the exchanges of directors, repertoire and dancers, will furnish PhD research material for the forseeable future.
Ballet of the Year ...was Frederick Ashton's 'Horoscope'. Truly one of the Royal Ballet's legends, this was reckoned one of Ashton's finest early works, and it was also his only collaboration with both Constant Lambert, the company's first and most influential musical director, and the great designer Sophie Fedorovitch. It had only 29 performances before the sets, costumes, and the only copy of the full score were lost when the company fled from Holland in 1940 to escape the invading German forces. There were lovely roles for Pamela May as the Moon and for Fonteyn as the Young Woman, but most praise went to Michael Somes, in his first big role, and singled out by one critic as potentially the finest British male dancer of the half century. Rumour of the Year ...was that a film was to be made of Nijinsky's life starring, of all people...Fred Astaire; and also that Alexander Korda planned a film biography of Diaghilev starring Charles Laughton! Events A new company, London Ballet, was formed by choreographer Antony Tudor, mainly to perform his own ballets. New pieces this year included 'Judgment of Paris' and 'Gala Performance', both of which were eventually inherited by Rambert and formed part of their historic 'Tudor evenings'. Leading dancers were Maude Lloyd, Peggy van Praagh and Hugh Laing; also in the company was Gerd Larsen, well known to Royal Ballet watchers. The Sadler's Wells (now Royal) Ballet added two pieces by Ninette de Valois and another by Ashton to its repertoire. In November Margot Fonteyn danced the full length 'Swan Lake' for the first time, adding Odile to the Odette she had been doing for some time. Building works at Sadler's Wells meant the company had to spend some time touring both outside London and in Streatham Hill and Golders Green. Various 'Russian' companies appeared in London, with repertoires strongly based on works from the Diaghilev era; new pieces by Massine were being added - 'Gaité Parisienne' was seen here for the first time in July. Another season had Victor Dandré, Pavlova's husband, as one of its directors; the opening night programme included 'Les Sylphides', which then and for years afterwards was practically mandatory for any touring ballet company. Meanwhile in America yet another Russian company embarked on a gruelling six-month transcontinental tour. Star of the New York opening was Alicia Markova. The Dancing Times printed a list of its Dancers of the Year, including almost everyone you've ever heard of - a couple of surprises, though, in Frederick Ashton and Kurt Jooss.
It's extraordinary how Nijinsky's fate still gripped the world, twenty years after he'd given his last performance.
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