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Timeline Event » 1970 – The Royal Ballet Touring Company becomes The Royal Ballet New Group (later renamed Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet)

The Royal Ballet went through a period of re-organisation in 1970, attempting to integrate the Covent Garden and Touring sections of the company. The core of the dancers would remain at Covent...

Timeline Event » 1977 – The Royal Ballet New Group becomes Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet with Peter Wright as director

Peter Wright studied ballet with Kurt Jooss, Vera Volkova and Peggy van Praagh. After dancing with several companies, including Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, he became director of the Sadler’s...

Timeline Event » 1981 – Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet dances Peter Wright and Galina Samsova’s new production of Swan Lake

In the autumn of 1981, Sadler’s Wells (now Birmingham) Royal Ballet undertook an ambitious undertaking – a new production of Swan Lake. Produced by Peter Wright and Galina Samsova and...

Timeline Event » 1982 – Premiere of David Bintley’s The Swan of Tuonela by Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet

The Swan of Tuonela was the first three-act ballet by David Bintley, then aged only 24. He rapidly established himself as the obvious successor to Frederick Ashton and Kenneth MacMillan in the...

Timeline Event » 1990 – Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet renamed Birmingham Royal Ballet

In 1987, Birmingham City Council and the Birmingham Hippodrome invited Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet to become a resident company, meaning Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet would relocate its base to...