Kenneth MacMillan created this three-act ballet for The Royal Ballet which received its first performance on 14 Feb 1978 at the Royal Opera House, London.

One file containing handwritten notes and typed breakdown of the ballet. The material comprises

1. Three typed pages of breakdown of the action of the ballet by Act and Scene, with timings, with annotations by Kenneth MacMillan in blue/black ink, black biro and purple felt tip pen. Each page signed by Kenneth MacMillan
2. Four handwritten pages of breakdown of the ballet by Act and Scene, with timings. By Kenneth MacMillan tbc in blue felt tip pen
3. Two handwritten pages of breakdown of the ballet by Act and Scene, with timings. By Kenneth MacMillan in black felt tip pen on Hotel Schlossgarten, Stuttgart, headed notepaper. The ink is bleeding a little
4. Five handwritten pages of breakdown of the ballet by Act and Scene, with timings. By Kenneth MacMillan in black biro with additions in blue felt tip pen
5. Photocopy of a two page handwritten letter from Kenneth MacMillan to Gillian Freeman enclosing the 'breakdown for the Mayerling file*, with some thoughts on the ballet. From the Clement Crisp Collection, found in a press cutting file. n.d.

Kenneth MacMillan asked Gillian Freeman to work with him on a scenario for the ballet. This file comprises

1. Five typed pages titled First Draft Outline for Mayerling, describing the ballet scene by scene.
2. One page typed additional note suggesting alterations to the Prologue and Epilogue
3. Four typed pages giving the Main and Subsidiary Characters, Character Notes and Points for Discussion. Dated by Kenneth MacMillan on the first page, 1978 in blue felt tip pen
4. 12 typed pages of Story outline and notes for a three act ballet by Gillian Freeman for Kenneth MacMillan, giving title page, Main and Subsidiary Characters, Character Notes, Notes, Drawing by Crown Prince Rudolf of a partridge-shooting and a Draft Outline. Dated by Kenneth MacMillan on the title page, 1978 in blue felt tip pen
5. Photocopy of item 4 with an additional page giving the Epilogue, and some handwritten additions to the text. From the Clement Crisp Collection, found in a file of press cuttings. N.d.
6. Article by Gillian Freeman for the LA Times (Los Angeles Times), 21 May 1978, Scripting a Ballet
7. Photocopy of the article by Gillian Freemen as published in the LA Times, Sunday 21 May 1978, now titled Mayerling : A Ballet of Love and Agony. Article written to coincide with the American premiere of Mayerling at the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles

The score for Mayerling was commissioned by Kenneth MacMillan from John/Jack Lanchbery, who used arrangements of music by Franz Liszt. This file comprises of

1. One handwritten airmail letter to Iris Law, Administrative Assistant at The Royal Ballet, about starting work on the score. 8 Nov 1976
2. One typed and four handwritten letters from Jack Lanchbery to Kenneth MacMillan, plus one telegram and one photocopy of a letter in the Royal Opera House Archives, discussing the score, its state of preparation, and changes and cuts requested by Kenneth MacMillan. The final letter discusses cuts for when the ballet tours to America and the request for a new song
3. One page of a handwritten list of Extracts Agreed, in an unidentified hand
4. One page of a handwritten letter from Bernadette [Greevy] to Kenneth MacMillan expressing regret that her song needs to be cut, with alternative suggestions, 28 Mar 1978

1. Four typed pages of Mayerling - Costume Breakdown, giving a list of characters for each scene, design number and names of dancers, from Morgan Rendell, Wardrobe Master, 20 Oct 1977. With handwritten annotations by Kenneth MacMillan in purple felt tip pen
2. Three typed lists of names of the dancers in specific scenes. On the reverse of one page are handwritten lists by Kenneth MacMillan comparing the different dances in Manon and Mayerling
3. One photocopy of a typed page of provisional casting
4. Nine photocopies of typed pages of programme notes by Gillian Freeman, John Lanchbery and Edward Thorpe, one with a typed covering note from Peter Brownlee to Kenneth MacMillan, on Royal Opera House headed notepaper, 23 Jan 1978
5. One typed page of the list of characters for the programme
6. Four photocopies of typed pages of the list of characters and the synopsis for the programme
7. Nine pages of the proof-copy of the programme, with some notes typed in red on Edward Thorpe's programme note
8. One carte de visite photograph of the Emperor Franz Josef
9. One page of a handwritten letter to John(Tooley) from Kenneth MacMillan complaining that the first night of Mayerling is to be a Gala performance in the presence of The Queen Mother. With a typed reply from Claus Moser, Chairman of the Royal Opera House and apologising for not consulting Kenneth MacMillan about this decision, 15 Dec 1977
10. One handwritten list by Kenneth MacMillan listing four of his ballets and the number of performances (?). On the reverse of a telegram from Stuttgart Ballet giving permission for Concerto to be performed by The Royal Ballet
11. One typed receipt from Nicholas Georgiadis acknowledging receipt of payment for design of projected alterations for the January 1980 revival of Mayerling, signed
12. One typed letter from Anthony Russell Roberts, Administrative Director of The Royal Ballet, to Kenneth MacMillan about proposed changes to the design which would make the ballet easier to tour. 3 Apr 1986

This file contains letters and telegrams of good luck plus letters of congratulations. There are two invitations to the receptions at the Royal Opera House following the first performance and a letter from Denis Healey, on Treasury Chambers headed notepaper, thanking Kenneth MacMillan for the offer of tickets for the premiere

Three pages of Synopsis for the television programme by London Weekend Television on Mayerling, dated 22 Feb 1978

This file contains correspondence from members of the public in response to both the first night of Mayerling and the London Weekend Television programme about the ballet

Photographs of the model sets designed by Nicholas Georgiadis for Mayerling, one colour and 32 black and white production photographs

Black and white photographs of the first performance of Manon by the Swedish Royal Ballet, 1981, and colour photographs of the first performance of Mayerling by the Swedish Royal Ballet, 1997. Four photographs mounted on card with 'Thank You!' handwritten on card, one each of Kenneth MacMillan, Las Hermanas, Romeo and Juliet and Manon (large). One composite card showing Kenneth MacMillan taking a rehearsal in the studio with a photograph of Romeo and Juliet town scene, and 'Stockholm 5 & 6 December 1969' handwritten on card, the reverse with signatures of members of the Company (large)