Les Rendezvous
Encyclopedia
Les Rendezvous is an abstract ballet created in 1933 with choreography by Frederick Ashton
, to the music of Daniel François Esprit Auber
(the ballet music from his opera L'enfant prodigue
) arranged by Constant Lambert
and with designs by William Chappell. It was the first major ballet created by Ashton for the Vic-Wells company.
It was first performed on Tuesday, 5 December 1933, by Vic-Wells Ballet at Sadler's Wells Theatre
, with Alicia Markova
and Stanislas Idzikowsky in the lead roles; these were later taken by Margot Fonteyn
and Robert Helpmann
. The choreography was revised in 1934 and the work was performed every season from 1933 to 1945, then from 1959 to 1963, when it used the then set by Sophie Fedorovitch for Act 1 of La Traviata
. It was revived in the 1984 by Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet to celebrate Ashton’s 80th birthday, and by the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in 2000 with updated sets. The ballet has also been produced by companies in Norway, the USA and Japan.
It was filmed for television in 1962 with Doreen Wells and Brian Shaw, and Merle Park, Petrus Brosnan and Graham Usher in the pas de trois.
Les Rendezvous was Ashton’s "first substantial classical composition and an exultant statement of his idiosyncratic approach to academic ballet". It consists of a succession of light-hearted dances in a park, where friends meet and socialise.
The ballet was designed to show off the brilliance and style of Markova and the elevation and technical skill of Idzikowsky.
The sections of the ballet are:
Frederick Ashton
Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH, CBE was a leading international dancer and choreographer. He is most noted as the founder choreographer of The Royal Ballet in London, but also worked as a director and choreographer of opera, film and theatre revues.-Early life:Ashton was born at...
, to the music of Daniel François Esprit Auber
Daniel Auber
Daniel François Esprit Auber was a French composer.-Biography:The son of a Paris print-seller, Auber was born in Caen in Normandy. Though his father expected him to continue in the print-selling business, he also allowed his son to learn how to play several musical instruments...
(the ballet music from his opera L'enfant prodigue
L'enfant prodigue (Auber)
L'enfant prodigue is a grand opera in five acts composed by Daniel Auber to a French libretto by Eugène Scribe based on the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Chapter 15 of the Gospel of Luke. It was first performed at the Théâtre de l'Académie Nationale de Musique in Paris on 6 December 1850...
) arranged by Constant Lambert
Constant Lambert
Leonard Constant Lambert was a British composer and conductor.-Early life:Lambert, the son of Russian-born Australian painter George Lambert, was educated at Christ's Hospital and the Royal College of Music...
and with designs by William Chappell. It was the first major ballet created by Ashton for the Vic-Wells company.
It was first performed on Tuesday, 5 December 1933, by Vic-Wells Ballet at Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre
Sadler's Wells Theatre is a performing arts venue located in Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell in the London Borough of Islington. The present day theatre is the sixth on the site since 1683. It consists of two performance spaces: a 1,500 seat main auditorium and the Lilian Baylis Studio, with extensive...
, with Alicia Markova
Alicia Markova
Dame Alicia Markova, DBE, DMus, was an English ballerina and a choreographer, director and teacher of classical ballet. Most noted for her career with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and touring internationally, she was widely considered to be one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of the...
and Stanislas Idzikowsky in the lead roles; these were later taken by Margot Fonteyn
Margot Fonteyn
Dame Margot Fonteyn de Arias, DBE , was an English ballerina of the 20th century. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest classical ballet dancers of all time...
and Robert Helpmann
Robert Helpmann
Sir Robert Helpmann CBE was an Australian dancer, actor, theatre director and choreographer.-Early years:He was born Robert Murray Helpman in Mount Gambier, South Australia and also boarded at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide. From childhood, Helpman had a strong desire to be a dancer...
. The choreography was revised in 1934 and the work was performed every season from 1933 to 1945, then from 1959 to 1963, when it used the then set by Sophie Fedorovitch for Act 1 of La Traviata
La traviata
La traviata is an opera in three acts by Giuseppe Verdi set to an Italian libretto by Francesco Maria Piave. It is based on La dame aux Camélias , a play adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas, fils. The title La traviata means literally The Fallen Woman, or perhaps more figuratively, The Woman...
. It was revived in the 1984 by Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet to celebrate Ashton’s 80th birthday, and by the Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in 2000 with updated sets. The ballet has also been produced by companies in Norway, the USA and Japan.
It was filmed for television in 1962 with Doreen Wells and Brian Shaw, and Merle Park, Petrus Brosnan and Graham Usher in the pas de trois.
Les Rendezvous was Ashton’s "first substantial classical composition and an exultant statement of his idiosyncratic approach to academic ballet". It consists of a succession of light-hearted dances in a park, where friends meet and socialise.
The ballet was designed to show off the brilliance and style of Markova and the elevation and technical skill of Idzikowsky.
The sections of the ballet are:
- Entrée des Promeneurs (company)
- Pas de quatre: (four girls)
- Male Variation
- Adage des Amoureux (two leads)
- Pas de trios (girl and two boys)
- Female Variation
- Pas de six: (six boys)
- Sortie des Promeneurs (company)