LondonDance
Feature: Kenneth MacMillan
Tuesday 13 November 2012 by Sarah Kearney
As the English National Ballet tour MacMillan's production of The Sleeping Beauty and the Royal Ballet present a triple bill of his work opening this weekend, Jessica Duchen reflects back on the enduring appeal of his choreography.
'MacMillan's ballets were of their time, dealing with issues such as repressed sexuality and complex familial relationships that were in vogue during his heyday between the 1960s and 1980s. One might have expected them to seem dated by now… Not a bit of it.'
Ballets such as Manon, The Judas Tree and Mayerling that were initially controversial and drew negative responses from the critics, are now established as works of great value.
'Lady Deborah MacMillan, essentially the custodian of her late husband's ballets, credits their longevity to his insights into human psychology and interaction. "Kenneth revealed himself by what he did on stage more than he ever did in life," she comments.'
Read the full article in, The Independent, 13 November 2012
49 years since he performed the lead role in MacMillan's Las Hermanas, former dancer with American Ballet Theatre and the Stuttgart Ballet, Ray Barra is coaching Royal Ballet dancers for their performances in the ballet,
"MacMillan knew exactly what he wanted and we would try and try [to please him]," says Barra, recalling one pas de deux where he was supposed to position Haydée on his waist and turn her around without moving. "It was impossible. We worked on it for days and then [MacMillan] said, 'We'll cut that.'"
Mark Brown, Guardian, 16 November 2012
Booking details:
The Royal Ballet, MacMillan triple bill, Royal Opera House, 17, 21, 27, 29, 30 Nov & 5 Dec. Online booking
The English National Ballet tour The Sleeping Beauty Online info & booking
Return to Features
You must be signed in to post comments.
Near: eg. EC1R 4TN
Category: All Categories Ballet Children`s Show Contemporary Dance Theatre Exhibitions Film / Video Flamenco Hip Hop Miscellaneous Musical Physical Theatre Talks Tango TV / Radio
Dance Map
See what's on & where,
find a dance class ›
© 2020 londondance.com
Web Design by Made Media
Londondance.com is closing
After 18 years of sharing information and promoting dialogue on what is happening in dance across the capital, Londondance.com will be closing down on 5 February 2020 at 23:59 GMT.
No new content will appear on the site as of Monday 5 August 2019.
The website will remain available as an archive for users to access material for six months.
On 5 February 2020, the website will close down and it will not be possible to access any of Londondance.com's content.
If you're looking for dance job listings, visit Arts Jobs, Dancing Opportunities, One Dance UK and People Dancing.
If you're looking for venue listings, visit the Mayor of London's Cultural Infrastructure Map.
If you're looking for information on artists and companies, visit the British Council's Theatre and Dance directory.
More information here. Thank you for having been a part of Londondance.com.