The ballet writer Gerald Dowler is joined in a special episode of Voices of British Ballet by Monica Mason (former Royal Ballet student, principal dancer and director), Jane Pritchard (curator…
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Podcast » David Wall
David Wall was one of the greatest male dancers of his era, with an extraordinary stage charisma, range, theatricality and honesty. In this interview he talks to Frank Freeman, a…
Podcast » Jock McFadyen
The artist Jock McFadyen was a true performer in this interview! Picture us in the Sitters Gallery at the Royal Academy of Art – people walking through and noise everywhere….
Podcast » Donald MacLeary
In this podcast featuring Donald MacLeary, the ballerina Darcey Bussell makes a fascinating and full introduction to her friend and mentor. She stresses the importance of a coach who is…
Podcast » Violetta Elvin
Violetta Elvin was one of Frederick Ashton’s favourite ballerinas. She was born Violetta Prokhorova in Russia. Here, in this interview with Patricia Linton, founder and director of Voices of British…
Podcast » Edward Watson
Over a long career, Edward Watson became one of The Royal Ballet’s greatest male principals, in the footsteps of Anthony Dowell and David Wall. He is particularly noted for his…
Podcast » Darcey Bussell
Darcey Bussell talks about her graduation performance at The Royal Ballet School, her early career with both Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet and The Royal Ballet, and the creation in 1989…
Podcast » Rowena Jackson and Philip Chatfield
This gorgeous couple, infectiously happy and loving and warm, not surprisingly became special “voices” for British ballet. They were stars of The Royal Ballet at a remarkable point of that…
Podcast » Federico Bonelli
It is a wonderful ability to make the most of the present situation whilst not letting the dream fade, in this case the dream to dance with The Royal Ballet….
Timeline Event » 1962 – First performance of Kenneth MacMillan’s The Rite of Spring by The Royal Ballet
Igor Stravinsky’s 1913 score for Vaslav Nijinsky’s short-lived ballet The Rite of Spring has been used by countless subsequent choreographers for their own productions. Among the very finest stands Kenneth…
Timeline Event » 1963 – The Royal Ballet dances the ‘Kingdom of the Shades’ scene from Marius Petipa’s La Bayadère for the first time
This mysteriously beautiful ballet, originally in four Acts, was created in 1877 by Marius Petipa, ballet master of the Imperial Ballet in St Petersburg. This typically Romantic tale has undergone…
First performed by Serge Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in 1928, George Balanchine’s Apollo was only the fourth work by Balanchine to enter The Royal Ballet’s repertoire after Ballet Imperial in 1950…
Timeline Event » 1970 – The Royal Ballet dances Jerome Robbins’ Dances at a Gathering for the first time
Dances at a Gathering, which had been created for New York City Ballet in 1969, represented the first work by Jerome Robbins to enter The Royal Ballet’s repertoire. Danced to…
Kenneth Macmillan’s hugely popular Elite Syncopations emerged out of a newfound enthusiasm for ragtime music in the 1970s. Danced to music by Scott Joplin and others, MacMillan’s subversive side found…
Timeline Event » 2002 – Monica Mason becomes director of The Royal Ballet
Following the departure of Ross Stretton, Monica Mason was appointed director of The Royal Ballet in 2002, staying in post until 2012. During her tenure, she staged major revivals of…
Timeline Event » 2012 – Kevin O’Hare becomes director of The Royal Ballet
Following the retirement of Monica Mason in 2012, Kevin O’Hare was appointed director of The Royal Ballet….