Royal Ballet
Royal Ballet,
the principal British ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House, Covent GardenCovent Garden, area in London historically containing the city's principal fruit and garden market and the Royal Opera House. The market was established in 1671 by Charles II on the site of the abbot of Westminster's convent garden, from which the area's name is derived.
..... Click the link for more information. , London. It is noted for lavish dramatic productions, a superbly disciplined corps de ballet, and brilliant performances from its principals. Granted a royal charter in 1956, the company was formed from the Sadler's Wells Ballet, which had its origins in the Academy of Choreographic Art, founded by Dame Ninette de ValoisValois, Dame Ninette de
, 1898–2001, English ballet director, b. County Wicklow, Ireland. She was originally named Edris Stannus. After attaining distinction as a dancer, most notably in Diaghilev's Ballets Russes (1923–26), she became choreographic director of both
..... Click the link for more information. in 1926. Dancers from the academy achieved renown in the 1930s as the Vic-Wells Ballet, performing at the Old VicOld Vic,
London repertory company and theater. The Old Vic theater opened in 1818 as the Coburg, and was renamed the Royal Victoria in 1833, soon familiarized to the Old Vic.
..... Click the link for more information. and Sadler's Wells theaters.
The company's principal ballerina was Dame Alicia MarkovaMarkova, Dame Alicia
, 1910–2004, English ballerina. Her original name was Lilian Alicia Marks. Markova joined Diaghilev's Ballets Russes in 1924 and, in 1931, the Vic-Wells Ballet (now the Royal Ballet), becoming its first prima ballerina in 1933.
..... Click the link for more information. ; when she left in 1935, Margot FonteynFonteyn, Dame Margot
, 1919–91, English ballerina. Fonteyn was for many years prima ballerina assoluta of the Royal Ballet. Her original name was Margaret Hookham.
..... Click the link for more information. , who had made her debut that year at age 15, was trained to become prima ballerina, a rank she held until she became guest artist with the company in 1959. Many other celebrated dancers developed with the Royal Ballet, as well as such choreographers as Sir Frederick AshtonAshton, Sir Frederick,
1904–88, British choreographer and dancer, b. Guayaquil, Ecuador. He grew up in Peru and was drawn to dance after seeing (1917) a performance by Anna Pavlova there.
..... Click the link for more information. , Antony TudorTudor, Antony,
1909–87, English choreographer and dancer. Tudor went to the United States at the invitation of the Ballet Theatre, New York City (1939); he danced leading roles and created ballets for several English and American companies and was later the artistic
..... Click the link for more information. , Kenneth MacMillan, John Cranko, and Wayne McGregor.
The company toured during World War II, then settled in the Royal Opera House in 1946. De Valois directed the group for more than 35 years, retiring in 1963. She was succeeded by Ashton in 1964 and MacMillan in 1970. In 1986, Sir Anthony Dowell became the company's director. He was succeeded by Ross Stretton, the former director of the Australian Ballet and the first non-Briton in the post (2001–2), who in turn was succeeded by Monica Mason (2002–12), who began as a dancer in the company in 1958 and later served in many capacities. Kevin O'Hare, who joined the company as a dancer in 1984, became company director in 2012.
The Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet (after 1956, the Touring Company of the Royal Ballet) was founded in 1946 by de Valois after the Sadler's Wells Ballet moved to the Royal Opera House. Based at Sadler's Wells Theatre (1946–55, 1970–90) and the Royal Opera House (1955–70), it traveled widely abroad after 1949. Renamed the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet in 1977, it moved to Birmingham as the Birmingham Royal Ballet in 1990 and became independent of the Royal Opera House in 1997.
Bibliography
See study by A. Bland (1981).