Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1983-1987, n.d. (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Nine typed letters, two compliments slips, one envelope, one typed note, one photocopy of an agreements, one typed company list, one typed note, 12 black and white photographs, one souvenir programme, two printed cast lists, one booking leaflet, one original and five photocopies of press cuttings, one ground plan and one printed newsletter
Context area
Name of creator
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
Name of creator
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Repository
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Scope and content
The material in this file mostly relates to arrangements for the first performance of Kenneth MacMillan's Song of the Earth by The Australian Ballet in April 1987. It includes correspondence from Maina Gielgud and David Palmer, a draft agreement for Song of the Earth, a letter with fabric swatches for costumes, photographs of dancers not in MacMillan roles, a ground plan for the Sydney Opera House Opera Theatre, a souvenir programme including Song of the Earth with cast lists, and an issue of The Australian Ballet Newsletter
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Allied materials area
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Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
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Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- MacMillan, Kenneth (Subject)
- The Australian Ballet (Subject)