1976 – Premiere of Frederick Ashton’s A Month in the Country by The Royal Ballet

A Month in the Country was created in 1976 by Frederick Ashton for The Royal Ballet. It was based on the play by Ivan Turgenev, and was almost more than 40 years in gestation. It was pushed on its way by the philosopher, Isaiah Berlin, who is credited with suggesting to Ashton he use music by Frédéric Chopin. The sets by Julia Trevelyan Oman provide an architectural reflection of the complex world of the relationships depicted within the ballet. Youth, servitude and aristocracy all combine to wrong foot and astonish the handsome, but unknowing hero, Beliaev, tutor to Kolya, the son of Natalia Petrovna. In a lush country retreat one Russian summer three women – Natalia, her ward Vera (Denise Nunn) and the maid Katya – all vie for the attentions of Beliaev. Natalia’s husband, Yslaev, and her admirer, Rakitin, not to mention Kolya, flit in and out of the action. This is a ballet that requires great sensitivity to recreate, and for its first performance had a cast that set the benchmark for the future: Lynn Seymour as Natalia and Anthony Dowell as Beliaev.