File 1 - CAPAB Ballet

Identity area

Reference code

RAD/2/MAC/7/10/1

Title

CAPAB Ballet

Date(s)

  • 1991, n.d. (Creation)

Level of description

File

Extent and medium

Two typed letters and two handwritten draft tributes

Context area

Name of creator

(1929-12-11 - 1992-10-29)

Biographical history

Kenneth MacMillan was born in Dunfermline, Scotland, and began ballet classes in Retford, England, in 1940. He joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet School in 1944 and later the Sadler's Wells Ballet but gave up dancing for choreography partly due to crippling stage fright. His first choreographic work was Somnambulism, created for the Sadler's Wells Ballet Choreographic Group in 1953 and he created works for both Royal Ballet companies throughout his career. He created significant works for The Stuttgart Ballet and his works are danced by ballet companies world-wide. He has also created work for television and cinema.
Kenneth MacMillan was Director of the Deutsche Oper Ballet in Berlin from 1966 to 1969, Artistic Director of The Royal Ballet from 1970 to 1977 and its Principal Chroreographer from 1977 until his death. He was also Associate Director of American Ballet Theatre from 1984 to 1989, and Artistic Associate of the Houston Ballet from 1989 to 1992.
Kenneth MacMillan was knighted in 1983, and he received honorary degrees from the University of Edinburgh (1976) and the Royal College of Art (1992). His awards include the Evening Standard Ballet Award (1979); Society of West End Theatre Ballet Award, 1980 and 1983; and, posthumously, the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production in 1993 for The Judas Tree; the Society of London Theatre Special Award in 1993; and the Tony Award for Best Choreography in 1994 for Carousel

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Scope and content

Two handwritten drafts by Kenneth MacMillan of a tribute to David Poole on his retirement from CAPAB, written as a letter to Dear David, one on a sheet of lined paper, one on an envelope, undated but David Poole retired in 1990
Letter from Veronica Paeper, Director of Capab Ballet, inviting Kenneth MacMillan to stage Gloria and Las Hermanas in Cape Town in 1992, with Kenneth MacMillan's reply explaining why he could not come in 1992 but possibly in 1993, 26 Mar 1991 and 12 Jul 1991

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          Archivist's note

          The tributes would be interesting to digitise

          Accession area