Press Release: Scottish Ballet and The Fairy's Kiss

[Jan McNulty]

PRESS RELEASE                                                    6 October 2017           A MACMILLAN CLASSIC RETURNS AND A ROYAL OPERA HOUSE PREMIERE FOR SCOTTISH BALLET THIS AUTUMN   Kenneth MacMillan’s original choreography of The Fairy’s Kiss (Le Baiser de la Fée) was brought back to life on Friday 6 October in a stunning new production by Scottish Ballet at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Scottish-born MacMillan created the work in 1960 for The Royal Ballet, and this revival marks the 25th anniversary of his death and its first presentation since 1986.   The work will be performed as part of the MacMillan Festival at the Royal Opera House in October – a celebration of this iconic 20th century British choreographer. Several Scottish Ballet dancers will also perform alongside artists from Britain’s other ballet companies in MacMillan’s Elite Syncopations. This will be the first time the company performs at the prestigious London venue.   Inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ice Maiden, MacMillan’s The Fairy’s Kiss stays true to the original tale’s dark edge and in the words of Clive Barnes ‘not only appears as a telling homage to the 19th-century Russian ballets that inspired it, but also as a work full of noble, singing poetry.’    Scottish Ballet’s new production features sets and costumes designed by Gary Harris, who worked closely with MacMillan. The choreographic score has been tirelessly re-constructed by professional Benesh notator Diana Curry over a three month period from fragmented records including piano reductions, rehearsal notes, and poor quality video recordings.   The Fairy’s Kiss will be performed alongside Christopher Hampson’s The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps).  Previously performed by the company at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2013, The Rite of Spring is a brutal and physical response to the raw energy of the Stravinsky score.   The Fairy’s Kiss and The Rite of Spring will tour to Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Inverness this October/November 2017. The Fairy’s Kiss will be performed at The Royal Opera House, London in October 2017.           For more details - https://www.scottishballet.co.uk/event/autumn-2017     Scottish Ballet CEO/Artistic Director Christopher Hampson: ‘It is thrilling for Scotland’s national dance company to revive Le Baiser de la Fée, an early work showing the prodigious talents to come from one our most cherished choreographers. Reviving this formative work will allow generations to come to better understand Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s journey from a nurtured, young choreographer to becoming the 20th Century’s most iconic storyteller through dance.’       ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The recreation of The Fairy’s Kiss is generously supported by The Linbury Trust Media partner:       WHEN AND WHERE   Scottish Ballet performs The Fairy’s Kiss (Le Baiser de la Fée) by Kenneth MacMillan and The Rite of Spring (Le Sacre du Printemps) by Christopher Hampson, at:   Theatre Royal, Glasgow Friday 6 & Saturday 7 October 2017 Friday 6 October – 7.30pm Saturday 7 October – 2.30pm & 7.30pm   Pre-show and Post-show Talks: Stravinsky Pre-show Talk (Free but ticketed): Friday 6 October - 6.30pm Stravinsky Post-show Talk (Free): Friday 6 October - 9.30pm   Festival Theatre, Edinburgh Wednesday 11 – Friday 13 October 2017 Wednesday 11, Thursday 12 & Friday 13 October 2017 - 7.30pm   His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Tuesday 24 & Wednesday 25 October 2017 Tuesday 24 & Wednesday 25 October – 7.30pm   Pre-show and Post-show Talks: Stravinsky Pre-show Talk (Free but ticketed): Tuesday 24 October – 6.30pm Stravinsky Post-show Talk (Free): Tuesday 24 October - 9.30pm   Eden Court, Inverness Friday 3 & Saturday 4 November 2017 Friday 3 & Saturday 4 November – 7.30pm   Pre-show Talks: Stravinsky Pre-show Talk (Free but ticketed): Friday 3 November – 6.30pm   Scottish Ballet performs The Fairy’s Kiss (Le Baiser de la Fée) by Kenneth MacMillan, at:   Royal Opera House, London Wednesday 18 & Thursday 19 October 2017 Kenneth MacMillan: a National Celebration Performances of The Fairy’s Kiss (Le Baiser de la Fée) by Scottish Ballet, Concerto by Birmingham Royal Ballet) and Elite Syncopations (featuring dancers from The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet,   English National Ballet, Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet)    www.scottishballet.co.uk     ABOUT THE ARTISTS   Kenneth MacMillan Biography Kenneth MacMillan (1929–92) was one of the leading choreographers of his generation. He was born in Dunfermline and discovered ballet while evacuated in Retford in Nottinghamshire during World War II. Aged 15, he forged a letter from his father to Ninette de Valois requesting an audition to Sadler’s Wells School (now The Royal Ballet School). He joined, on a full scholarship, and later entered the Royal Ballet Company. He was Director of the Royal Ballet from 1970–77 and was Principal Choreographer 1977–92. His ballets are distinguished by their penetrating psychological insight and expressive use of classical language. These qualities are demonstrated in his works Romeo & Juliet, Gloria, Manon, Mayerling and Requiem. He created his first major work, Danses concertantes, in 1955 and went on to become one of the world’s leading choreographers. He was the Director of Deutsche Oper Ballet Berlin (1966–9) and Associate Director of American Ballet Theatre (1984–90). He continued to create masterpieces throughout his life, including The Prince of the Pagodas (1989) and his last work The Judas Tree in 1992. He died backstage at the Royal Opera House during a revival of Mayerling.   Gary Harris Biography Gary was born in London, and trained at the Arts Educational and the Royal Ballet Schools. He joined the London Festival Ballet (now English National Ballet) in 1978 and was one of the company’s leading soloists until he left in 1985 to pursue a career as a freelance dancer, performing in West End shows, including On Your Toes, La Cage aux Folles and Phantom of the Opera. He has worked the world over as a dancer, teacher, repetiteur and designer. In 1991 he joined the Royal Ballet, London, as notator and repetiteur, working with choreographers such as William Forsythe and Kenneth MacMillan and re-staging the works of Fredrick Ashton. He assisted Kenneth MacMillan in the first staging Manon for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1990, and restaged Song of the Earth for the same company in 1996. He was Associate Artistic Director of the Hong Kong Ballet and choreographed a cast of 1,200 performers for the handover of Macau back to China in 1999. Gary was Artistic Director of the Royal New Zealand Ballet from September 2001 – December 2010. For the RNZB, he restaged Swan Lake, Paquita, Coppelia and Giselle. The company premiered his production of The Nutcracker in 2005 and Don Quixote in 2008. Notable design commissions include The Sleeping Beauty and Raymonda for the National Ballet of China, Christopher Hampson’s Double Concerto for English National Ballet and Saltarello, Esquisses and The Sleeping Beauty for the Royal New Zealand Ballet. Since returning from New Zealand, Gary has continued re-staging the works of Kenneth MacMillan and in 2013, designed Christopher Hampson’s Hansel & Gretel for Scottish Ballet.     Christopher Hampson Biography Christopher Hampson joined Scottish Ballet as Artistic Director in August 2012 and was appointed Artistic Director / Chief Executive of Scottish Ballet in June 2015. Christopher trained at the Royal Ballet Schools. His choreographic work began there and continued at English National Ballet (ENB), where he danced until 1999 and for whom he subsequently created numerous award-winning works, including Double Concerto, Perpetuum Mobile, Country Garden, Concerto Grosso and The Nutcracker. Christopher’s Romeo and Juliet, created for the Royal New Zealand Ballet (RNZB), was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award (Best New Production 2005) and his production of Giselle for the National Theatre in Prague has been performed every year since its premiere in 2004. Christopher created Sinfonietta Giocosa for the Atlanta Ballet (USA) in 2006 and after a New York tour it received its UK premiere with ENB in 2007. He created Cinderella for RNZB in 2007, which was subsequently hailed as Best New Production by the New Zealand Herald and televised by TVNZ in 2009. His work has toured Australia, China, the USA and throughout Europe. Other commissions include, Dear Norman (Royal Ballet, 2009); Sextet (Ballet Black/ROH2, 2010); Silhouette (RNZB, 2010), Rite of Spring (Atlanta Ballet, 2011), and Storyville (Ballet Black/ROH2, 2012).     Christopher is co-founder of the International Ballet Masterclasses in Prague and has been a guest teacher for English National Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, Royal New Zealand Ballet, Hong Kong Ballet, Atlanta Ballet, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and the Genée International Ballet Competition. Christopher’s work now forms part of the Solo Seal Award for the Royal Academy of Dance.     Registered in Scotland No:SC065497; VAT Registration No:261 5097 64; Registered Charity No: SC008037; Registered Office: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, Glasgow G41 2PE