Lilac Garden (Jardin Aux Lilas)
Synopsis:
The bittersweet theme is set in the gracious Edwardian era. A young woman betrothed to a man she does not want to marry, mirrors the society in which power and position are uppermost. The ballet is so musically constructed that it would seem Ernest Chausson indeed wrote it for the ballet.
Dame Marie Rambert, in whose ballet company Lilac Garden was created, said of the ballet "The interplay of feelings between these characters was revealed in beautiful dance movements and groupings, with subtle changes of expression, which made each situation clear without any recourse to mime or gesture."
The program reads:
"Caroline, on the eve of her marriage to the man she does not love tries to say farewell to her lover at a garden reception. In the end, she goes off on the arm of her betrothed with hopelessness in her eyes."
Choreography: Antony Tudor.
Music / Composer: Poeme for violin and orchestra Opus 28, Ernest Chausson.
Libretto: Antony Tudor.
First Performance: London. Mercury Theatre. January 26th, 1936. Ballet Rambert.
Scenery (London): Hugh Stevenson.
Original Cast: Caroline: Maude Lloyd; Her Lover: Hugh Laing; The Man She Must Marry: Antony Tudor; An Episode in His Past: Peggy van Praagh; Elizabeth Schooling, Frank Staff, Ann Gee, Tatiana Svetlova, Leslie Edwards.
First U.S. Performance: New York. Center Theatre, January 15th, 1940. Ballet Theatre.
First NYCB Performance: New York. City Center Theater. November 30th, 1951.
Scenery (NYCB): Horace Armistead.
Costumes (NYCB): Karinska.
First Canadian Performance: Royal Alexandra Theatre. January 22nd, 1953. National Ballet of Canada.
Scenery / Costumes (Canada): Kay Ambrose.
British Revival: London. Royal Opera House. November 12th, 1968. Royal Ballet.
Scenery (Royal Ballet): Tom Lingwood.
Costumes (Royal Ballet): After Hugh Stevenson.
First French Performance: Paris. Opera Comique. February 18th, 1985. Paris Opera Ballet: "Homage a Antony Tudor."
Notated: 1967 by Muriel Topaz. 1981 by Airi Hynninen (Labanotation). 1979 by Wendy Walker (Benesh Notation).
Number of Dancers: 6 Women, 6 Men.
Average Length: 18 minutes.
Costumes: ABT, Ballet Mainz (Germany), Ballet West, Carolina Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, New National Theatre Tokyo, NY Theatre Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet (non available), Richmond Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, San Jose Ballet, Start Dancers (Japan).
Set: ABT, Ballet Mainz (Germany), Ballet West, Carolina Ballet, National Ballet of Canada, New National Theatre Tokyo, NY Theatre Ballet, Pacific Northwest Ballet, Royal Winnipeg Ballet (non available), Richmond Ballet, Louisville Ballet, Royal Swedish Ballet, San Jose Ballet, Start Dancers (Japan).
