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- 1953-1957 (Creation)
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Four typed letters and one envelope with handwritten note attached
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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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This file contains:
- Typed letter from Douglas F Weare, Hon. Business Manager of The Vic-Wells Dance, thanking Kenneth MacMillan for his performance as Captain Belaye in the Ballet-Cabaret at the 1953 Vic-Wells Ball, 17 Feb 1953
2.Typed letter from Sadler's Wells Theatre enclosing a cheque for royalties for performances of Danses concertantes in 1955, 8 Mar 1955 - Envelope from Denis de Marney, photographer, with handwritten note from Denis, enclosing photographs of Danses concertantes, 12 May 1955 (no photographs enclosed at time of cataloguing)
- Typed letter from Sadler's Wells Trust Ltd re agreement and payments for House of Birds, 25 May 1955
- Typed letter from John Field, on Sadler's Wells Theatre headed notepaper, to Kenneth MacMillan. Discusses Valse eccentrique, Danses concertantes, Solitaire and MacMillan's concern about Theatre Ballet retaining the work, and House of Birds. Mentions meeting with Nicholas Georgiadis. 15 Apr 1957
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Note
Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet became part of The Royal Ballet under the Royal Charter that was granted in 1956. Although the letter from John Field has The Royal Ballet (formerly Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet) as part of the letterhead, the letter was filed with the Sadler's Well Theatre Ballet correspondence as the ballets discussed had all been created for that company and not yet shared with the Company at Covent Garden
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- MacMillan, Kenneth (Subject)
- Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet (Subject)