Identity area
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Title
Date(s)
- 1978-1989 (Creation)
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One envelope with handwritten notes, one typed page, two handwritten letters with envelopes, two typed letters one with envelope, three typed pages, five printed pages, two compliments slips, one interdepartmental memo and photocopies of five typed pages
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
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Kenneth MacMillan created the one-act ballet My Brother, My Sisters for the Stuttgart Ballet which premiered on 21 May 1978 at the Wurttemberg State Theatre, Stuttgart. The ballet was taken into the repertoire of The Royal Ballet in 1980 receiving its first performance at the Royal Opera House, London on 29 Apr 1980. The material comprises
- One quotation from The Rack by A.E.Ellis handwritten by Kenneth MacMillan in black felt tip pen on the reverse of an envelope from Het Nationale Ballet, Amsterdam 30 Jan [?] 1978
- One typed letter from Sue Freathy on Spokesmen company letter headed paper, to Gillian Freeman about the use of the quotation from The Rack, which Kenneth MacMillan will be translating into German. With a typed copy of the quotation corrected by Derek Lindsay, translator, 18 Apr 1978
- One photocopy of a page from The Rack which includes the quotation used by Kenneth MacMillan in the programme, with the first six words of the paragraph added in black biro
- One handwritten letter from Richard Cragun to Kenneth MacMillan thanking him for inviting him to dance in My Brother, My Sisters with The Royal Ballet. Stuttgart 6 Feb 1980, with envelope
- Four photocopied pages of a proposed programme note by Meiron Bowen on the music used for the ballet. With covering typed Interdepartmental Communication from Janet Judd, Press Officer for The Royal Ballet, and a Royal Opera House compliments slip, IDC dated 31 Mar 1980
- Five printed page proofs from the programme for My Brother, My Sisters, with a Royal Opera House compliments slip with handwritten note from Janet Judd to Kenneth: for urgent proofing please. Includes Meiron Bowen's note on the music and a biography of Kenneth MacMillan by Mary Clarke
- Three typed pages titled The Morally Unglued by Camila Batmanghelidjh, founder of the charity Kids Company. With Unedited text; just received, for My Brother, My Sisters, on first page in black biro
- One handwritten letter from A.E.Ellis to Kenneth MacMillan thanking him for the tickets to the ballet and his views on the ballet, 9 Jun 1980 with hand addressed envelope. (With notes in blue biro by Jann Parry on the reverse of the letter and front of the envelope)
- One typed letter from Richard Bernas, conductor, to Kenneth MacMillan, expressing disappointment at the cancellation of performances of My Brother, My Sisters, and discussing the significance of the music Kenneth MacMillan chose for the ballet, 5 Dec 1989
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Name access points
- MacMillan, Kenneth (Subject)
- Cragun, Richard (Subject)