Sylvia (1952)

Ballet in three acts by Jules Barbier and Baron de Reinach, based on Aminta by Torquato Tasso

MUSIC

Léo Delibes (ballet, 1876, with additional numbers from La Source, 1866)

SCENERY & COSTUMES

Robin and Christopher Ironside

DANCERS

Sylvia: Margot Fonteyn; Aminta: Michael Somes; Orion: John Hart; Eros: Alexander Grant; Naiads: Dorothea Zaymes, Anne Heaton, Angela Walton; Dryads: Gerd Larsen, April Olrich, Avril Navarre; Slaves: Brian Shaw, Peter Clegg; Orion’s Concubines: Dorotha Zaymes, Shirley Bateman; Diana: Julia Farron; Goats: Pauline Clayden, Brian Shaw; Apollo: Kenneth Melville; Ceres: Anne Heaton; Jaseion: Philip Chatfield; Persephone: April Olrich; Pluto: Ray Powell; Sylvans Attendant Nymphs, Cortège rustique, Trumpeters, the Muses, Spring Attendants, Summer Attendants, Sylvia’s Attendant Nymphs, Diana’s Attendant Nymphs, A Vision of Diana and Endymion (later addition): corps de ballet

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Sadler’s Wells Ballet, Royal Opera House, London, 3 September 1952

New Stagings / Productions

Royal Ballet, 1970

STAGING

Royal Ballet; Tribute to Sir Frederick Ashton; excerpt only

DANCERS

Deanne Bergsma

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Royal Opera House, London, 24 July 1970

Granada Festival, 1953

NEW PRODUCTION

Granada Festival; pas de deux from Act II only, with new coda

DANCERS

Margot Fonteyn, Michael Somes

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Jardines del Generalife, Granada, Spain, 30 June 1953

This arrangement of the pas de deux was often danced by Fonteyn and Somes as a divertissement, e.g. with London Festival Ballet, Théâtre de Monte Carlo, 15 January 1956, and by other dancers, with the Royal Ballet and elsewhere

Royal Ballet, 1963

STAGING

Royal Ballet touring section

DANCERS

Sylvia: Doreen Wells; Aminta: Christopher Gable

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Royal Opera House, London, 6 May 1963

Royal Ballet, 1965

NEW PRODUCTION

Royal Ballet touring section, with abbreviated third act and new variation for Aminta

DANCERS

Sylvia: Margot Fonteyn; Aminta: Attilio Labis; Orion: Bryan Ashbridge; Eros: Richard Farley

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Royal Opera House, London, 9 June 1965

Royal Ballet, 1967

NEW PRODUCTION

Royal Ballet; abridged (one act) version with some new choreography

DANCERS

Sylvia: Nadia Nerina; Aminta: Gary Sherwood; Eros: Alexander Grant; Goats: Ann Howard, Keith Martin; Sylvia’s attendants, Friends of Aminta: corps de ballet

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Royal Opera House, London, 18 December 1967

Royal Ballet, 2004

NEW PRODUCTION

Royal Ballet

REPRODUCED BY

Christopher Newton

SCENERY & COSTUMES

Robin and Christopher Ironside, additional designs (Act II) Peter Farmer

DANCERS

Sylvia: Darcey Bussell; Aminta: Jonathan Cope; Orion: Thiago Soares; Eros: Martin Harvey

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 4 November 2004

By other companies

American Ballet Theatre, 2005

STAGING

American Ballet Theatre

REPRODUCED BY

Christopher Newton

LIGHTING

Mark Jonathan

DANCERS

Sylvia: Gillian Murphy; Aminta: Maxim Beloserkovsky; Orion: Marcelo Gomes; Eros: Herman Cornejo

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Metropolitan Opera House, New York NY, 3 June 2005

American Ballet Theatre School, 2006

STAGING

American Ballet Theatre School Summer Intensive; excerpt from Act I (Les Chasseresses)

REPRODUCED BY

Ethan Brown

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Purchase College, Purchase NY, 28 July 2006

Staatsballet Berlin, 2007

STAGING

Staatsballet Berlin

REPRODUCED BY

Christopher Newton and Anna Trevien

DANCERS

Sylvia: Polina Semionova; Aminta: Vladimir Malakhov; Orion: Ibrahim Onal; Eros: Rainer Krenstetter

FIRST PERFORMANCE

Deutsche Oper Berlin, 28 April 2007