Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1965-2010 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
33 telegrams and one photocopy of a telegram, one handwritten and three typed letters, eight typed pages one with pencil sketches on the reverse, one envelope with handwritten notes, 10 photocopies of costume designs, 44 colour copies of costume designs and eight of set designs, one ring bound volume
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
Biographical history
Nicholas Georgiadis was a Greek painter, stage and costume designer, best know for his work in ballet, particularly in collaboration with Kenneth MacMillan. He studied architecture in Greece, graduating in 1946, winning a Fulbright Postgraduate Scholarship to Columbia University, New York in 1952. In 1953 Georgiadis came to London to study Painting and Stage Design at the Slade School of Fine Art, winning the school's First Prize for Stage Design in 1955. This led to a commission from Ninette de Valois and his first collaboration with Kenneth MacMillan, on Noctambules in 1956. Although primarily known as a designer for ballet, Georgiadis also worked in opera and drama and a number of film projects. He was also an accomplished painter.
Name of creator
Biographical history
Name of creator
Biographical history
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Kenneth MacMillan created the three-act ballet Romeo and Juliet for The Royal Ballet which premiered on 9.2.1965 at the Royal Opera House, London, UK. The ballet was created on the young dancers Lynn Seymour and Christopher Gable but the first night was danced by Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. The ballet has subsequently been performed by ballet companies all over the world. The material for the 1965 production by The Royal Ballet comprises:
- Five typed pages, four of Cast Biographies (compiled from Shakespeare's play by Mary Miller) and one of the action of the entire story that takes place over four days. Undated
- Three typed pages of Cast Biographies (Taken from the play by Mary Miller) with slight differences to the above. With Deborah handwritten in pencil top right of first page. Undated
- 33 telegrams wishing good luck for the first night and congratulations on the success of the ballet. 8.2.1965 (1), 9.2.1965 (30), 10.2.1965 (1), 18.2.1965 (1)
- One handwritten letter from Mary (Miller) to Kenneth MacMillan wishing him great success
- One typed letter from Lord Drogheda, Chair of the Board of Directors at the Royal Opera House, to Kenneth MacMillan, complaining about two pieces in the Sunday Telegraph, praising Romeo and Juliet and suggesting possible composers for his next work including Benjamin Britten and Hans Werner Henze, 14.2.1965
- One photocopy of a telegram from David Webster, General Administrator at the Royal Opera House, to Kenneth MacMillan reporting the unprecedented number of curtain calls for the second cast of Romeo and Juliet in New York, Christopher Gable and Lynn Seymour, 23.4.1965
- Two typed letters from Tony and Julie (Andrews) in New York expressing their admiration, 23.4.1965
- Handwritten notes by Kenneth MacMillan, with comments on an unknown Juliet's performance. On Northern Ballet Theatre stamped envelope, postmarked 20.1.1989
- 10 black and white photocopies of costume designs with the character and dancers' names written on, and some handwritten notes from Kenneth MacMillan (large). The character of Romeo is to be danced by [Derek] Deane who danced the role in the 1970s
Material for the 2010 production by the ballet company of the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, Italy, comprises: - 44 colour copies of costume designs by Odette Nicoletti
- Eight colour copies of set designs by Mauro Carosi
- A ring bound volume of plastic front cover, title page and 13 pages, showing the scenery and scene changes
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
The large photocopies of costume designs by Nicholas Georgiadis are stored in Box 52
The large colour copies of costume and set designs and the ring bound volume for the production at the Teatro alla Scala, Milan, are stored in Box 52
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Some of the material may be interesting to digitise
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- MacMillan, Kenneth (Subject)
- Seymour, Lynn (Subject)
- Gable, Christopher (Subject)
- Andrews, Julie (Subject)
- Walton, Tony (Subject)
- Britten, Benjamin (Subject)
- Henze, Hans Werner (Subject)
- Georgiadis, Nicholas (Subject)
- The Royal Ballet (Subject)
- Ballet of the Teatro all Scala, Milan (Subject)