Britten Thematic Catalogue
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Sadler's Wells Ballet. Svetlana Beriosova Belle Rose, Julia Farron Belle Epine, David Blair The prince, Leslie Edwards The Emperor of the middle kingdom, Pirmin Tecu The fool, Ray Powell The dwarf, Covent Garden Orchestra
John Cranko choreog, John Piper design, Desmond Heeley costumes, William Bundy lighting, Benjamin Britten cond
Cast and orchestra
Principals: The fool, The dwarf, The Emperor of the middle kingdom, Belle Epine, Belle Rose, The King of the north, The King of the east, The King of the west, The King of the south, The Prince of the pagodas, The moon, 2 sea horses (males), 2 fish creatures (females), male and female flames
Corps de ballet: councillors and courtiers to the Emperor, pages to the Kings, 4 frogs, stars, clouds, waves, flames, pagodas and guards
Orchestra: 3 fl (II, III = picc), 3 ob (II, III - ca), 2 cl in A and B flat, cl in E flat, alto sax, 3 bn (III = dbn) - 4 hn, 3 tpt (I, II in C, III in D), 3 trbn, tuba - timp, 7 perc (xyl, glock, vibr, t bells, trgl, small and large wb, castanets, tamb, 3 tom-toms, 2 native drums (high, low or sd and td), sd, td, bd, small timp in C sharp, small cymb (clashed, or loose cymb), susp cymb, cymb, 2 gongs (2 sizes), anvil) - harp, cel, pf (four hands) - str
On stage: 2 or more tpt
Prelude and Act I: 34 mins
Act II: 38 mins
Act III: 43 mins
Imogen Holst (1907-1984), English composer, conductor, teacher and writer; Britten's assistant from 1952-1964. Dame Ninette de Valois (1898-2001), Irish-born British ballerina, teacher and administrator, and artistic director of the Sadler's Wells Ballet from 1956-1963.