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 MacMillan’s 1962 version in which he deliberately distorts the balletic proportions of the dancers to evoke timeless tribal ritual. Sidney Nolan’s Aboriginal-inspired designs are integral to the concept. Monica Mason’s extraordinary performance as The Chosen One (itself incorporating her own memories of Zulu dances from her childhood in South Africa) launched a long career at the heart of The Royal Ballet.