Sir Kenneth MacMillan, although a dancer himself, is widely regarded for his contributions to choreography. Born in Dunfermline, Scotland on the 11th December 1929 to a working class family, Macmillan grew up in Great Yarmouth and took up dancing at the age of 12. Naturally gifted he moved to London when he was just 15 years old after being accepted by the Sadler's Wells Ballet.
MacMillan showed great promise as a dancer but he was afflicted with terrible stage fright and soon found himself more comfortable in the role of choreographer. In 1953 he choreographed Somnambulism followed by Laiderette in 1954, both pieces were well received and marked the young MacMillan out as a pioneering and innovative new choreographer. In 1955 he began to work under Sir Frederick Ashton choreographing for the Sadler's Wells Ballet.
MacMillan's talent for choreography was notable from the offset and a succession of short acclaimed works were produced for Sadler's Wells Ballet including Solitaire in 1956, The Burrow in 1958, Le baiser de la fe in 1960, The Rite of Spring in 1962 and La Cration du monde in 1964, to name just a few.
In 1965 Macmillan achieved great success with his first full-length work, Romeo and Juliet. Performed in three acts, the ballet is considered to be one of his best-loved pieces and shortly after choreographing Romeo and Juliet Macmillan was made the resident choreographer for The Royal Ballet. After a fall out with The Royal Ballet in 1966 over his work Song of the Earth, Macmillan left to work as director of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin where he stayed from 1966-69.
Macmillan returned to the Royal Ballet as director in 1970 succeeding Sir Frederick Ashton where he continued to produce and choreograph another string of widely acclaimed ballets that include Anastasia in 1971, The Seven Deadly sins in 1973, Manon in 1974, Requiem in 1976, Isadora in 1981 and his final piece in 1992, just before his death, The Judas Tree. He resigned as director of the Royal Ballet in 1977 however but continued to work as their resident choreographer - the role he preferred and felt more comfortable with.
Macmillan had a reputation for producing works that were challenging, often dwelling on the darker side of life or confronting the gritty realisms of life. He was knighted in 1983 and died of a heart attack in 1992. Innovative and talented Macmillan's work still divides opinion to this day. - 40728
MacMillan showed great promise as a dancer but he was afflicted with terrible stage fright and soon found himself more comfortable in the role of choreographer. In 1953 he choreographed Somnambulism followed by Laiderette in 1954, both pieces were well received and marked the young MacMillan out as a pioneering and innovative new choreographer. In 1955 he began to work under Sir Frederick Ashton choreographing for the Sadler's Wells Ballet.
MacMillan's talent for choreography was notable from the offset and a succession of short acclaimed works were produced for Sadler's Wells Ballet including Solitaire in 1956, The Burrow in 1958, Le baiser de la fe in 1960, The Rite of Spring in 1962 and La Cration du monde in 1964, to name just a few.
In 1965 Macmillan achieved great success with his first full-length work, Romeo and Juliet. Performed in three acts, the ballet is considered to be one of his best-loved pieces and shortly after choreographing Romeo and Juliet Macmillan was made the resident choreographer for The Royal Ballet. After a fall out with The Royal Ballet in 1966 over his work Song of the Earth, Macmillan left to work as director of the Deutsche Oper in Berlin where he stayed from 1966-69.
Macmillan returned to the Royal Ballet as director in 1970 succeeding Sir Frederick Ashton where he continued to produce and choreograph another string of widely acclaimed ballets that include Anastasia in 1971, The Seven Deadly sins in 1973, Manon in 1974, Requiem in 1976, Isadora in 1981 and his final piece in 1992, just before his death, The Judas Tree. He resigned as director of the Royal Ballet in 1977 however but continued to work as their resident choreographer - the role he preferred and felt more comfortable with.
Macmillan had a reputation for producing works that were challenging, often dwelling on the darker side of life or confronting the gritty realisms of life. He was knighted in 1983 and died of a heart attack in 1992. Innovative and talented Macmillan's work still divides opinion to this day. - 40728
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