File 7 - The Burrow

Identity area

Reference code

RAD/2/MAC/3/1/7

Title

The Burrow

Date(s)

  • 1958-1993, n.d. (Creation)

Level of description

File

Extent and medium

One handwritten page, one typed letter, , one handwritten inter departmental communication, one typed fax, one telegram and one greetings card

Context area

Name of creator

MacMillan, Kenneth
(1929-12-11 - 1992-10-29)

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

Repository

Royal Academy of Dance

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Kenneth MacMillan created the one act ballet The Burrow for The Royal Ballet Touring Company which premiered on 2 Jan 1958 at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. The ballet was restaged for Birmingham Royal Ballet and opened on 31 Oct 1991at the Birmingham Hippodrome. The material comprises:

  1. Scenario and list of characters for The Burrow, handwritten by Kenneth MacMillan
  2. Typed letter from Gilbert Vernon to Deborah MacMillan enclosing the above scenario. Vernon was a dancer with The Royal Ballet and was in the pas-de trois in MacMillan's first ballet for the Company, Danses Concertantes. He cannot remember where he got the the scenario but thought he should return it in case it should be of any use for a possible biography
  3. Telegram from Bobbie (Robert Helpmann?), with wishes for a great success. 1 Jan 1958
  4. Greetings card to Kenneth MacMillan signed by members of Birmingham Royal Ballet, wishing him good luck for the first night and thanking him for the opportunity of working with him again. Signatures include Desmond Kelly, Anita Landa and Marion Tait. 31 Oct 1991
  5. Note on idc paper, a request for Kenneth MacMillan to call Peter Wright about the possibility of performing The Burrow as part of the '50th Anniversary of Ann (sic) Frank ', n.d.
  6. Typed fax from Birmingham Royal Ballet with Provisional casting for The Burrow, 1991/92 season, 7 Nov 1991

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      Notes area

      Note

      Handwritten scenario suitable for digitisation

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          Archivist's note

          The fax has been scanned and is store here https://royalacademydance.sharepoint.com/:f:/s/Files-LibraryAndArchive/IgAgJ_sbuwjgRrS0jDeC9oroAW05acJ-IxVYjbc2bNuCxog?e=kwpHLX

          Archivist's note

          Handwritten scenario suitable for digitisation

          Accession area