Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet Archives » Voices of British Ballet

companies » Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet

Timeline Event » 1926 – Ninette de Valois opens the Academy of Choreographic Art

Ninette de Valois (1898-2001) was an Irish dancer, choreographer and founding director of The Royal Ballet.In 1918 and 1919 she became principal dancer for the Beecham Opera at Covent Garden and...

Timeline Event » 1946 – First performances by Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet, later Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet

Having appeared in operas at Sadler’s Wells, the new Sadler’s Wells Opera Ballet’s first purely ballet evening took place on 8 April, 1946, with a programme comprising Ninette de Valois’ 1943...

Timeline Event » 1948 – Premiere of Frederick Ashton’s Scènes de ballet for Sadler’s Wells Ballet

With music by Igor Stravinsky and designs by André Beaurepaire, Scènes de ballet was Frederick Ashton’s homage to the choreography of the great Franco-Russian master Marius Petipa. Fascinated at...

Timeline Event » 1948 – Alan Carter’s The St James’ Ballet formed

Alan Carter joined the Vic-Wells Ballet in 1936. After war service with the RAF from 1941 to 1946, Carter returned to join Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, then left the company to dance in the...

Timeline Event » 1951 – Premiere of John Cranko’s Pineapple Poll by Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet

Pineapple Poll is an exuberant, comic ballet in three scenes, with choreography by John Cranko, music by Sir Arthur Sullivan (arranged by Charles Mackerras), and sets and costumes designed by Osbert...

Timeline Event » 1954 – Premiere of John Cranko’s The Lady and the Fool by Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet

The Lady and the Fool, first performed by Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet in 1954, was a collaboration between John Cranko and Charles Mackerras. As with Pineapple Poll, the music for the ballet was...

Timeline Event » 1955 – Premiere of Kenneth MacMillan’s Danses concertantes by Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet

Kenneth MacMillan’s first major work, Danses concertantes saw the choreographer counter the trend in the company for dance-dramas with a plotless work that matched Igor Stravinsky’s edgy music...

Timeline Event » 1955 – Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet is expanded and later becomes The Royal Ballet Touring Company

Peggy van Praagh left the Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet in the summer of 1955. With this development and the understanding that it was increasingly difficult for the Covent Garden troupe to tour...

Timeline Event » 1956 – Premiere of Kenneth MacMillan’s Solitaire by Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet

Set to Malcolm Arnold’s engaging music, Kenneth MacMillan’s Solitaire, created for Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet in 1956, is a light-hearted treatment of the theme of the outsider, which became...

Timeline Event » 1957 – Western Theatre Ballet established

Peter Darrell, an original member of Sadler’s Wells Theatre Ballet, left the company in 1947 to dance in musicals whilst choreographing for Marie Rambert’s Ballet Workshop amongst other...

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...