Sir Frederick Ashton was the legendary dancer and choreographer who left behind him a prolific amount of acclaimed work. Born on the 17th September 1904 Ashton was the founding choreographer for The Royal Ballet, London where he became resident choreographer in the 1930s. He provided the choreography for many ballets with a career that spanned for over 50 years from 1926 to 1982.
Ashton's first three-act ballet for the Royal Ballet, formerly known as Sadler's Wells Ballet, was his interpretation of Prokofiev's Cinderella in 1948. Met with great critical acclaim Ashton had first had the idea for creating the ballet as early as 1939 but the outbreak of the Second World War put a halt to proceedings. The choreographic style utilized by Ashton in his Cinderella is in homage to legendary Russian choreographer Marius Pepita. His interpretation has a dream-like quality and dreams are a major theme running through this version of Cinderella.
Cinderella was followed by Sylvia in 1952, a piece of work that had fallen out of favor with ballet goers for some number of years. Ashton recreated Sylvia with new choreography and legend has it that he was inspired to rework the piece after the ballet's musical composer, Leo Delibes, appeared to him in a dream asking Ashton to rework the under-appreciated ballet. Sir Frederick choreographed the entire ballet as tribute to the great Margo Fonteyn.
Another success for Aston and another vehicle for the legendary ballerina Margot Fonteyn was Sir Frederick's Ondine, which he choreographed in 1958. It is said that Ashton found the piece difficult as he was uninspired by the ballets' music. However Ondine was lauded as another success for Ashton with its recurring watery theme running through the entire piece. This was the last three-act ballet Ashton choreographed for The Royal Ballet.
Perhaps one of his greatest works is La fille mal garde, which premiered in London in January 1960 and has been hailed as the definitive version of the ballet. Ashton reverted the ballet's music back to the 1928 score by Ferdinand Herold for his production and found his inspiration within the music. Ashton's 1960 version of La fille mal garde has been staged by many ballet companies throughout the world and has overtaken even Pepita's version as the 'traditional' version to perform.
Sir Frederick resigned as Director of the Royal Ballet in 1970 under circumstances that have never been confirmed. It is believed that there was some dispute that greatly upset Ashton. He continued to choreograph for the company for many years however and also worked for other companies and provided choreography for films and stage musicals too. He died at home in Suffolk in August 1988.
Ashton's first three-act ballet for the Royal Ballet, formerly known as Sadler's Wells Ballet, was his interpretation of Prokofiev's Cinderella in 1948. Met with great critical acclaim Ashton had first had the idea for creating the ballet as early as 1939 but the outbreak of the Second World War put a halt to proceedings. The choreographic style utilized by Ashton in his Cinderella is in homage to legendary Russian choreographer Marius Pepita. His interpretation has a dream-like quality and dreams are a major theme running through this version of Cinderella.
Cinderella was followed by Sylvia in 1952, a piece of work that had fallen out of favor with ballet goers for some number of years. Ashton recreated Sylvia with new choreography and legend has it that he was inspired to rework the piece after the ballet's musical composer, Leo Delibes, appeared to him in a dream asking Ashton to rework the under-appreciated ballet. Sir Frederick choreographed the entire ballet as tribute to the great Margo Fonteyn.
Another success for Aston and another vehicle for the legendary ballerina Margot Fonteyn was Sir Frederick's Ondine, which he choreographed in 1958. It is said that Ashton found the piece difficult as he was uninspired by the ballets' music. However Ondine was lauded as another success for Ashton with its recurring watery theme running through the entire piece. This was the last three-act ballet Ashton choreographed for The Royal Ballet.
Perhaps one of his greatest works is La fille mal garde, which premiered in London in January 1960 and has been hailed as the definitive version of the ballet. Ashton reverted the ballet's music back to the 1928 score by Ferdinand Herold for his production and found his inspiration within the music. Ashton's 1960 version of La fille mal garde has been staged by many ballet companies throughout the world and has overtaken even Pepita's version as the 'traditional' version to perform.
Sir Frederick resigned as Director of the Royal Ballet in 1970 under circumstances that have never been confirmed. It is believed that there was some dispute that greatly upset Ashton. He continued to choreograph for the company for many years however and also worked for other companies and provided choreography for films and stage musicals too. He died at home in Suffolk in August 1988.
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