Francesca Hayward in rehearsal for Ashton’s Hamlet and Ophelia with Wayne Eagling, in the documentary ‘Frederick Ashton: Links in the Chain’ by Lynne Wake. ©Frederick Ashton Foundation, 2021.

The Frederick Ashton Foundation marks its tenth anniversary by commissioning a film from dance film-maker Lynne Wake and a revival of Hamlet Prelude, staged by Wayne Eagling in new designs by Sarah Armstrong-Jones.

The 42-minute documentary, Frederick Ashton: Links in the Chain, throws light on how the choreographic steps and intentions of one of the country’s greatest choreographers, who died in 1988, are handed down from one generation to the next, with participants ranging from past luminaries of the Sadler’s Wells Ballet and The Royal Ballet to today’s Marianela Nuñez, Vadim Muntagirov, Francesca Hayward, Gary Avis, Fumi Haneko and William Bracewell, and choreographers David Bintley and Wayne Eagling. The film receives its premiere at an Insight evening focusing on Ashton and the work of the Frederick Ashton Foundation in the Royal Opera House’s Linbury Theatre on Wednesday 27 October.

The first performance of a new production of Hamlet and Ophelia, formerly Hamlet Prelude, will also be given at the Insight on 27 October. Created by Ashton in 1977 for Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, the piece has not been seen for well over 40 years, and only once in this country. The revival is staged by Wayne Eagling, on whom Ashton created much of the role of Hamlet (Nureyev not being available) and who subsequently danced several performances with Fonteyn on an overseas tour. The work is presented in new designs by painter Sarah Armstrong-Jones, her first designs for ballet. The roles of Hamlet and Ophelia will be danced by William Bracewell and Francesca Hayward.

The Insight evening, featuring Royal Ballet and Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers, also includes extracts on film and in live performance of the Foundation’s popular Ashton Rediscovered masterclasses of rarely-performed Ashton works.

The Insight, sponsored by the Ballet Association, forms part of ROH Insights supported by Rolex and the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and will be streamed on ROH digital platforms in due course.