Rhapsody

Rhapsody
Alina Cojocaru and Steven McRae
© ROH/ Tristram Kenton

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A Wedding Bouquet (1937)


Abbreviations:
M Music by
S Scenery by
C Costumes by
D Danced by
FP First performance
NP New production
R Reproduced by
ST Staging (indicates that the ballet was produced in substantially its original form)



M Lord Berners
Words by Gertrude Stein (mostly from They Must.Be Wedded.To Their Wife)
Curtain SC Lord Berners

D Webster: Ninette de Valois; Two Peasant Girls: Linda Sheridan, Joan Leaman; Two Peasant Boys: Paul Reymond, Alan Carter; Josephine: June Brae; Paul: Harold Turner; John: William Chappell; Violet: Pamela May; Ernest: Claude Newman; Thérèse: Elizabeth Miller; Julia: Margot Fonteyn; Bridegroom: Robert Helpmann; Pépé (Julia's dog): Julia Farron; Arthur: Leslie Edwards; Guy: Michael Somes; Four Guests: Gwyneth Mathews, Wenda Horsburgh, Joy Newton, Anne Spicer; Two Gendarmes: Paul Reymond, Alan Carter; Bride: Mary Honer; Bridesmaids: Molly Brown, Jill Gregory
FP Vic-Wells Ballet, Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, 27 April 1937

(During the 1940 summer season at Sadler's Wells, the singing chorus was replaced by Constant Lambert's declamation of the words; thereafter the ballet was performed this way, until later revivals at the Royal Opera House, when the chorus was restored at Frederick Ashton's request)

ST Sadler's Wells Ballet
D Josephine: June Brae; Julia: Moira Shearer; Bridegroom: Robert Helpmann; Bride: Margaret Dale
FP Royal Opera House, London, 17 February 1949

ST Royal Ballet
Tribute to Sir Frederick Ashton; excerpt only
Royal Opera House, London, 24 July 1970

ST Ballet for All
excerpts only
FP Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe, 13 October 1972

ST Royal Ballet touring section
D Josephine: Vyvyan Lorrayne; Julia: Margaret Barbieri; Bridegroom: Alain Dubreuil; Bride: Marion Tait
FP Sadler's Wells Theatre, London, 14 May 1974

ST Joffrey Ballet; R Christopher Newton
D Josephine: Jan Hanniford; Julia: Beatriz Rodriguez; Bridegroom: Gary Chryst; Bride: Lynn Glauber
FP City Center Theater, New York NY, 18 October 1978