Homage to the Queen
Encyclopedia
Homage to the Queen, Op. 42 by Malcolm Arnold
was written as the official coronation ballet in 1953
, commissioned by the Sadlers' Wells Ballet in honour of Queen Elizabeth II
, the ballet company's musical adviser Humphrey Searle
having recommended Arnold for the job.
The original choreography was directed by Frederick Ashton
, original scenery and costumes by Oliver Messel
. It was first performed by the Sadlers' Wells Ballet on coronation night 2nd June 1953, Royal Opera House
Covent Garden. The Orchestra was conducted by Robert Irving
.
Amongst the original performers were:
The ballet became part of the Sadlers' Wells Ballet's regular repertoire during the mid-50s. In the 1990s the Queen of the Air segment was revived.
Apart from the Entree and the Queen of the Air much of Ashton's original choreography was lost during the years, so new ones were created for three of the sequences based on surviving material.
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 written as the official coronation ballet in 1953
1953 in music
-Events:*February 6 – Contralto Kathleen Ferrier, already terminally ill with cancer, leaves Covent Garden Opera House on a stretcher after being taken ill on the second night of her run in Gluck's Orfeo ed Euridice....
, commissioned by the Sadlers' Wells Ballet in honour of Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
, the ballet company's musical adviser Humphrey Searle
Humphrey Searle
Humphrey Searle was a British composer.-Biography:He was born in Oxford where he was a classics scholar before studying — somewhat hesitantly — with John Ireland at the Royal College of Music in London, after which he went to Vienna on a six month scholarship to become a private pupil of Anton...
having recommended Arnold for the job.
The original choreography was directed by Frederick Ashton
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...
, original scenery and costumes by Oliver Messel
Oliver Messel
Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel was an English artist and one of the foremost stage designers of the 20th century....
. It was first performed by the Sadlers' Wells Ballet on coronation night 2nd June 1953, 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...
Covent Garden. The Orchestra was conducted by Robert Irving
Robert Irving
Robert K. Irving is a Canadian industrialist based in Moncton, New Brunswick.A grandson of Kenneth Colin Irving and son of James Irving and Jean E. S. Irving, Robert is responsible for several businesses within the "Irving Group of Companies" with operations extending across North America.* He is...
.
Amongst the original performers were:
- Nadia NerinaNadia NerinaNadia Nerina was a South African ballerina. She moved to England and joined the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, where she became a prima ballerina at the age of 25. She was one of the first western dancers to appear with the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow during the Cold War...
as Queen of the Earth - Violetta Elvin as Queen of the Waters
- Beryl Grey as Queen of Fire
- Margot FonteynMargot FonteynDame 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...
as Queen of the Air
The ballet became part of the Sadlers' Wells Ballet's regular repertoire during the mid-50s. In the 1990s the Queen of the Air segment was revived.
2006 recreation
To celebrate the 80th birthday of Queen Elizabeth the ballet was revived in 2006.Apart from the Entree and the Queen of the Air much of Ashton's original choreography was lost during the years, so new ones were created for three of the sequences based on surviving material.
- Earth by David BintleyDavid BintleyDavid Bintley, CBE, is a former English ballet dancer, the current artistic director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet and co-artistic director of the New National Theatre Tokyo ballet company.- About :...
- Water by Michael Corde
- Fire by Christopher WheeldonChristopher WheeldonChristopher Wheeldon is an international choreographer of contemporary ballet. Born in Somerset, England, to an engineer and a physical therapist, Wheeldon began training to be a ballet dancer at the age of 8. He attended the Royal Ballet School between the ages of 11 and 18...