MUSIC
William Walton (1922)
SCENERY & COSTUMES
John Armstrong
DANCERS
Scotch Rhapsody: Prudence Hyman, Maude Lloyd, Antony Tudor; Jodelling Song: Milkmaid: Lydia Lopokova; Mountaineers: Frederick Ashton, William Chappell, Walter Gore; Polka: Alicia Markova; Valse: Pearl Argyle, Diana Gould, Maude Lloyd, Prudence Hyman; Popular Song: William Chappell, Walter Gore; Tango Pasodoble: Lydia Lopokova, Frederick Ashton; Finale – Tarantella Sevillana: Lydia Lopokova, Frederick Ashton, and ensemble
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Camargo Society, Cambridge Theatre, London, 26 April 1931
New Stagings / Productions
Ballet Club, London, 1931
STAGING
Ballet Club, London
DANCERS
As above except Milkmaid: Andrée Howard; Tango and Finale: Alicia Markova
FIRST PERFORMANCE
4 May 1931
Vic-Wells Ballet, 1935
NEW PRODUCTION
Vic-Wells Ballet; *subtitles added at this time, choreography and costumes both revised
DANCERS
Scotch Rhapsody: Mary Honer, Elizabeth Miller, Robert Helpmann; Swiss Yodelling Song: The Milkmaid: Gwyneth Mathews; Mountaineers: Harold Turner, Frederick Ashton, William Chappell; Polka: Margot Fonteyn; Waltz: Pamela May, June Brae, Beatrice Appleyard, Peggy Melliss; Popular Song: Harold Turner, William Chappell; Country Dance (new item): A Maiden: Pearl Argyle; A Yokel: Richard Ellis; The Squire: Robert Helpmann; Tango Pasodoble: A Debutante: Molly Brown; A Dago: Frederick Ashton; Tarantella Finale: Pearl Argyle, Frederick Ashton, and ensemble
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, 8 October 1935
Vic-Wells Ballet, 1940
NEW PRODUCTION
Vic-Wells Ballet; choreography further revised
SCENERY & COSTUMES
John Armstrong
DANCERS
Scotch Rhapsody (later called Ecossaise): Guinevere Parry, Molly Brown, Claude Newman; Noche Espagnola (Nocturne péruvienne) (new item): Frederick Ashton; Yodelling Song (Tyrolienne): The Milkmaid: Julia Farron; Mountaineers: John Hart, Michael Somes, Richard Ellis; Polka: Margot Fonteyn; Foxtrot (new item): June Brae, Pamela May, Robert Helpmann, Frederick Ashton; Waltz (Valse): Ann Spicer, Julia Farron, Palma Nye, Moyra Fraser; Popular Song: Richard Ellis, John Hart; Country Dance: A Maiden: Mary Honer; A Yokel: Michael Somes; The Squire: Robert Helpmann; Tango Pasodoble: A Debutante: Margot Fonteyn; A Dago: Frederick Ashton; Tarantella Finale: Margot Fonteyn, Frederick Ashton, and ensemble
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, 23 July 1940
Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet, 1946
NEW PRODUCTION
Sadler’s Wells Opera (later Theatre) Ballet; new items omitted
SCENERY & COSTUMES
As 1940
DANCERS
Polka: Anne Heaton; Popular Song: Donald Britton, Alexander Grant; Tango Pasodoble: June Brae, Frederick Ashton
On 2 June 1949 the scenery and costumes were destroyed by fire at the Theatre Royal, Hanley; for a brief period following this the ballet was performed in the original decor, borrowed from Ballet Rambert, but with new costumes made from the 1940 designs
Sadler’s Wells Ballet, 1949
NEW PRODUCTION
Sadler’s Wells Ballet; new items omitted
SCENERY & COSTUMES
As 1940
DANCERS
Polka: Moira Shearer; Popular Song: Michael Boulton, Donald Britton; Tango Pasodoble: Moira Shearer, Frederick Ashton
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Royal Opera House, London, 1 August 1949
Foxtrot and Country Dance added 20 June 1950, with new costumes for these numbers and minor revisions in the finale
Country Dance dropped again as from 7 April 1951
At two performances on 5/7 May 1956 the Nocturne péruvienne was restored, and again during the company’s tour of Australia, 1958-1959: Dancer Robert Helpmann
Royal Ballet New Group, 1972
NEW PRODUCTION
Royal Ballet New Group; music performed in its original form, with narration by Peter Pears; original choreographic version plus Foxtrot, with abbreviated Finale
SCENERY & COSTUMES
As 1940
DANCERS
Polka: Carole Hill; Popular Song: Nicholas Johnson, David Morse; Tango Pasodoble: Margaret Barbieri, Hendrik Davel
FIRST PERFORMANCE
The Maltings, Snape, Aldeburgh, Suffolk, 28 July 1972; Sadler’s Wells Theatre, 9 October 1972
At later performances the music was again performed in the orchestral version
Ballet for All, 1972
STAGING
Ballet for All, in Birth of the Royal Ballet; Yodelling Song only
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Spa Pavilion, Felixstowe, 13 October 1972
Birmingham Royal Ballet, 1993
NEW PRODUCTION
Birmingham Royal Ballet: original version plus Foxtrot
SCENERY & COSTUMES
as 1940
DANCERS
Polka: Sandra Madgwick; Popular Song: Samuel Armstrong, James Bailey; Tango Pasodoble: David Morse, Chenca Williams
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London, 2 February 1993
Royal Ballet Lower School, 2007
STAGING
Royal Ballet Lower School: Foxtrot and Popular Song only
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Dance East, Chandos Lodge, Eye, Suffolk, 1 July 2007
By Other Companies
Borovansky Ballet, c. 1946
NEW PRODUCTION
Borovansky Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Laurel Martyn
SCENERY & COSTUMES
William Constable (after John Armstrong, 1931 version)
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Australia, c. 1946
Repertory Ballet Theatre of New Zealand, 1946
NEW PRODUCTION
Repertory Ballet Theatre of New Zealand; excerpts only
REPRODUCED BY
Yvonne Cartier and Jill Beachen, after Laurel Martyn’s Borovansky version
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Auckland, New Zealand, July 1946
Illinois Ballet, 1959
NEW PRODUCTION
Illinois Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Richard Ellis
SCENERY
Dom Orejudos
FIRST PERFORMANCE
St Alphonsus Theater, Chicago IL, 25 September 1959
New Zealand Ballet, 1960
NEW PRODUCTION
New Zealand Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Walter Trevor
SCENERY & COSTUMES
Raymond Boyce (?)
FIRST PERFORMANCE
South Island, New Zealand, 1960
Ballet of the Norske Opera, 1960
STAGING
Ballet of the Norske Opera
REPRODUCED BY
Harold Turner
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Opera House, Oslo, 4 October 1960
PACT Ballet Company, 1965
STAGING
PACT Ballet Company
REPRODUCED BY
Alexander Bennett
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Johannesburg, 1965
NAPAC Ballet Company, 1966
STAGING
NAPAC Ballet Company
REPRODUCED BY
Joan Blakeney
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Durban, 17 May 1966
Joffrey Ballet, 1969
STAGING
Joffrey Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
John Hart and Richard Ellis
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Auditorium Theatre, Chicago IL, 28 January 1969
Répétition générale for the Greatest Show on Earth, 1971
STAGING
Répétition générale for the Greatest Show on Earth; Popular Song only
DANCERS
Doreen Wells, John Gilpin
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Coliseum, London, 22 June 1971
Minnesota Dance Theatre, 1972
NEW PRODUCTION
Minnesota Dance Theatre
REPRODUCED BY
Brian Shaw
SCENERY
Jack Barkla
COSTUMES
Judy Cooper and Peter Hauschild
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Jacob’s Pillow, Lee MA, 25 July 1972
The Australian Ballet, 1972
STAGING
The Australian Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Peggy van Praagh
SCENERY & COSTUMES
John Armstrong (1940)
DANCERS
Nocturne Péruvienne: Robert Helpmann; Polka: Lucette Aldous; A Debutante: Carolyn Rappel; A Dago: Robert Helpmann
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Princess Theatre, Melbourne, 8 September 1972
Chicago Ballet, 1975
STAGING
Chicago Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Richard Ellis and Christine Du Boulay
SCENERY & COSTUMES
Dom Orejudos
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Ruth Page Foundation Theatre, Chicago IL, 2 October 1975
Ballet van Vlaanderen, 1976
STAGING
Ballet van Vlaanderen
REPRODUCED BY
Joy Newton
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Royal Opera House, Antwerp, 10 January 1976
Houston Ballet, 1978
STAGING
Houston Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Richard Ellis
SCENERY
(1931) John Armstrong
COSTUMES
(1940) John Armstrong
DANCERS
Tango: Gwen Verdon, Ben Stevenson
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Jones Hall, Houston TX, 2 March 1978
Washington Ballet, 1983
STAGING
Washington Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Brian Shaw
DANCERS
Polka: Denise Jackson; Popular Song: Gary Chryst, Jay Jolley; Tango Pasodoble: Antoinette Sibley, Anthony Dowell
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Palm Beach Festival, West Palm Beach Auditorium, Palm Beach FL, 22 March 1983
Banff Center, 1984
STAGING
Banff Center
REPRODUCED BY
Alexander Grant and Robin Ryman
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Banff Center, Banff, Alberta, Canada, 1984
Royal Winnipeg Ballet, 1984
STAGING
Royal Winnipeg Ballet (taken over from Banff Center, see above)
REPRODUCED BY
Alexander Grant and Robin Ryman
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Manitoba Centennial Concert Hall, Manitoba, 26 December 1984
Colorado Ballet, 1991
STAGING
Colorado Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Brian Shaw (restaged 1993 by Alexander Grant)
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Auditorium Theater, Denver CO, 22 March 1991
Ballet of the Teatro Regio, 1992
STAGING
Ballet of the Teatro Regio
REPRODUCED BY
Alexander Grant and Faith Worth
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Teatro Regio, Torino, 18 January 1992
Oregon Ballet Theatre, 2004
STAGING
Oregon Ballet Theatre
REPRODUCED BY
Alexander Grant and Margaret Barbieri
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Newmark Theatre, Portland OR, 7 May 2004
Images of Dance, 2004
STAGING
Images of Dance (London Studio Centre Company)
REPRODUCED BY
Alexander Grant and Margaret Barbieri
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage, 4 June 2004
Scottish Ballet, 2005
STAGING
Scottish Ballet
REPRODUCED BY
Margaret Barbieri and Alexander Grant
DANCERS
Polka: Tomomi Sato; Popular Song: Glauco Di Lieto; Tango Pasodoble: Claire Robertson, Cristo Vivancos
FIRST PERFORMANCE
Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 13 April 2005
Copyright © 2004 by David Vaughan
This listing is part of a chronology that was originally published in Vaughan’s Frederick Ashton and His Ballets (Alfred E Knopf 1976; 2nd ed., London: Dance Books, 1999) and includes new productions added since then, and up until 2007