Sweeney Todd (ballet)
Encyclopedia
The ballet Sweeney Todd, Op. 68 by Malcolm Arnold
was completed in 1959
.
It is a one act ballet based on the legend of Sweeney Todd
. The original choreography was directed by John Cranko
.
It was first performed by the Royal Ballet on Thursday, December 10th, 1959, at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
, with the Royal Opera House
Orchestra conducted by John Lanchbery
.
A shortened version of the suite was arranged for brass band
by Phillip Littlemore. It had its first performance on 22 October 2006 at the Malcolm Arnold Festival, Derngate
in Northampton
by the Rushden Windmill Band led by Richard Graves.
Malcolm Arnold
Sir Malcolm Henry Arnold, CBE was an English composer and symphonist.Malcolm Arnold began his career playing trumpet professionally, but by age thirty his life was devoted to composition. He was ranked with Benjamin Britten as one of the most sought-after composers in Britain...
was completed in 1959
1959 in music
-Events:*January 5 – The first sessions for Ella Fitzgerald's George and Ira Gershwin Songbook are held.*January 12 – Tamla Records is founded by Berry Gordy Jr. in Detroit, Michigan....
.
It is a one act ballet based on the legend of Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd
Sweeney Todd is a fictional character who first appeared as then antagonist of the Victorian penny dreadful The String of Pearls and he was later introduced as an antihero in the broadway musical Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street and its film adaptation...
. The original choreography was directed by John Cranko
John Cranko
John Cyril Cranko was a choreographer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet and the Stuttgart Ballet....
.
It was first performed by the Royal Ballet on Thursday, December 10th, 1959, at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon
Stratford-upon-Avon is a market town and civil parish in south Warwickshire, England. It lies on the River Avon, south east of Birmingham and south west of Warwick. It is the largest and most populous town of the District of Stratford-on-Avon, which uses the term "on" to indicate that it covers...
, with the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
Orchestra conducted by John Lanchbery
John Lanchbery
John Arthur Lanchbery OBE was an English, later Australian, composer and conductor, famous for his ballet arrangements.-Life:...
.
Concert suites
In 1984, the composer David Ellis compiled a concert suite, Op. 68a from the ballet. The suite was first performed on 19 June 1990 at Bristol University with the University Chamber Orchestra.A shortened version of the suite was arranged for brass band
Brass band
A brass band is a musical ensemble generally consisting entirely of brass instruments, most often with a percussion section. Ensembles that include brass and woodwind instruments can in certain traditions also be termed brass bands , but are usually more correctly termed military bands, concert...
by Phillip Littlemore. It had its first performance on 22 October 2006 at the Malcolm Arnold Festival, Derngate
Derngate
Derngate is a part of Northampton, England, with a theatre complex of the same name. It refers to a gate in the old town walls, which was located there....
in Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
by the Rushden Windmill Band led by Richard Graves.