Created by Frederick Ashton to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet, Birthday Offering is a one-act divertissement for seven ballerinas and their partners, and includes...
people » Desmond Doyle
Desmond Doyle (1932-1991). South African-born dancer and teacher
Desmond Doyle was born in Cape Town, South Africa, in 1932. He studied under Dulcie Howes and danced for the University of Cape Town Ballet. He came to London to study at the Sadler’s Wells Ballet School and joined the Sadler’s Wells (now Royal) Ballet at Covent Garden in 1951. Doyle was promoted to soloist in 1953.
Doyle was a noted actor-dancer. He created a number of memorable roles for The Royal Ballet, including for the Husband in Kenneth MacMillan’s The Invitation, Tybalt in MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, and A.J Jaeger (Nimrod) in Frederick Ashton’s Enigma Variations. Desmond Doyle worked as ballet master for The Royal Ballet from 1970 to 1975, and before he death he spent some time as ballet master at the Theatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He died in Marcia, Brazil, in 1991.
Timeline Event » 1960 – Premiere of Kenneth MacMillan’s The Invitation by The Royal Ballet Touring Company
In a bold move, in The Invitation Kenneth MacMillan chose to create a sexual drama of shifting emotions and desires that culminates with the rape of a young girl by an older married man. Created for...
Enigma Variations was choreographed by Frederick Ashton to Edward Elgar’s music in designs by Julia Trevelyan Oman. It was first performed by The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in 1968. Elgar...