Showing 4 results

Margot Fonteyn is the Prima Ballerina Assoluta of The Royal Ballet. She was Juliet in the first performance of Kenneth MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet (although the role was created for Lynn Seymour) and Kenneth MacMillan dedicated The Prince of the Pagodas to her. The correspondence in this file comprises

1. Handwritten letter on Hotel de Paris, Monte Carlo headed notepaper, in her excitement she forgot to say how marvellous the pas de deux is. Absolutely right for Anya (Linden)
2. Handwritten letter on Grosvenor House, London headed notepaper, thanking him for the flowers and thanking him and Peter (Wright) for 'what I know was a 'thank you' from you', July 25th, no year
3. Handwritten letter from Teatro alla Scala, Milan, sending good wishes for his new position as Director of The Royal Ballet, undated but envelope postmarked 14.9.1970
4. Handwritten card thanking Kenneth MacMillan and Peter (Wright) for a huge bouquet and sending best wishes, Dec 26th, no year
5. Handwritten postcard of L'Opera de Monte-Carlo, Monaco, Monte-Carlo, thanking him for the birthday telegram, undated but envelope postmarked 8.6.1979

The first performance of The Prince of the Pagodas formed part of the celebrations for Kenneth MacMillan's 60th birthday. The cards and telegrams celebrate both the first night of the ballet and his birthday, with some also being Christmas cards. The material comprises:

1. Ten letters, including handwritten letters from Margot Fonteyn, thanking Kenneth MacMillan for dedicating the ballet to her, from Anthony Dowell, Zoe Dominic, and Angela and Nicholas Serota, Director of the Tate Gallery, typed letters from John Sainsbury, one congratulating MacMillan on the ballet, the other enclosing a copy of a letter from Edward, Duke of Kent saying how much he enjoyed the ballet
2. Three Christmas cards, from the students at White Lodge who appeared as pages, from Janet and Leo Kersley, and Colin Nears
3. Six postcards including one handwritten by Anya Sainsbury, wishing Kenneth a happy birthday and 'congratulations on your wonderful 'Pagodas'. The card includes a reference to a 'head' by Julian Sainsbury, presumably a birthday gift to Kenneth MacMillan from John and Anya Sainsbury
4. Four good luck telegrams from La Scala, National Ballet of Canada, the Hongkong Ballet, and Elaine McDonald (Scottish Ballet)
5. One invitation to the supper following the first performance of The Prince of the Pagodas, with handwritten list of names and a note from Kenneth MacMillan on the reverse.

One photograph of the first production of Romeo and Juliet, one photograph taken from the wings of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, during a curtain call for Margot Fonteyn and the cast of a performance given in her honour, one colour photograph of the tomb scene (large)

One colour photograph of Kenneth MacMillan and Peter Wright in a mount dedicated 'Darling Kenneth Souvenir of your first triumphant visit to Rio, love Margot [Fonteyn]. Rio 1973'. Two black and white photographs of Margot Fonteyn receiving an award, in costume for The Sleeping Beauty, in South America, one colour photograph of an open air theatre, five colour photographs date stamped 12 May 1975 in the Far East, one colour photograph of John Tooley and Charlotte MacMillan eating, five colour photographs of Kenneth MacMillan and Peter Wright with Japanese women in kimonos, in Japan, one black and white photograph of Antoinette Sibley and HRH Princess Margaret at a dinner in New York