Ashton, Sir Frederick

Ashton, Sir Frederick

▪ British choreographer
born September 17, 1904, Guayaquil, Ecuador
died August 18, 1988, Sussex, England
 principal choreographer and director of England's Royal Ballet, the repertoire of which includes about 30 of his ballets.

      Ashton studied dancing in London under Léonide Massine, Nicholas Legat, and Marie Rambert, who encouraged his first choreographic efforts, The Tragedy of Fashion (1926) and Capriol Suite (1930).

      Ashton joined the Vic-Wells (later the Sadler's Wells and then the Royal) Ballet in 1933 and distinguished himself as a mime and character dancer in such roles as Carabosse in The Sleeping Beauty and the gigolo in Façade and as the versatile choreographer of ballets that include Cinderella, Sylvia, and Daphnis and Chloë and the film Tales of Hoffmann (1951). He was the Royal Ballet's principal choreographer from 1933 to 1970, during which time he also served as its associate director (1952 to 1963) and its director (1963 to 1970). In 1970 he retired from his administrative position in order to devote his time exclusively to choreography.

      In 1963 Ashton created Marguerite and Armand especially for the new partnership of Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev. Others included The Dream (1964), a one-act ballet based on Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream; Monotones (Part I, 1965; Part II, 1966), to music of Erik Satie; Jazz Calendar (1968); Enigma Variations (1968); A Month in the Country (1976); and Rhapsody (1981), based on music by Sergey Rachmaninoff. In 1970 Ashton choreographed and danced in the motion picture Tales of Beatrix Potter. His major works include such enduring favourites as Façade (1931), Les Rendezvous (1933), Les Patineurs (1937), Symphonic Variations (1946), Illuminations (for the New York City Ballet, 1950), Homage to the Queen (1953), Romeo and Juliet (for the Royal Danish Ballet, 1955), Birthday Offering (1956), Ondine (1958), and La Fille mal gardée (1960). Ashton was knighted in 1962.

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  • Ashton,Sir Frederick — Ash·ton (ăshʹtən), Sir Frederick. 1904 1988. British choreographer whose ballets include The Dream (1964) and A Month in the Country (1976). * * * …   Universalium

  • Ashton, Sir Frederick (William Mallandaine) — (17 sep. 1904, Guayaquil, Ecuador–18 ago. 1988, Sussex, Inglaterra). Coreógrafo principal y director del Royal Ballet de Inglaterra. Después de crear ballets desde 1925 para el Ballet Club (luego, Ballet Rambert), se incorporó en 1933 al Vic… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Ashton, Sir Frederick (William Mallandaine) — born Sept. 17, 1904, Guayaquil, Ecua. died Aug. 18, 1988, Sussex, Eng. Principal choreographer and director of England s Royal Ballet. After creating ballets from 1925 for the Ballet Club (later Ballet Rambert), he joined the Vic Wells Ballet… …   Universalium

  • Sir Frederick Ashton — noun British choreographer (1906 1988) • Syn: ↑Ashton • Instance Hypernyms: ↑choreographer …   Useful english dictionary

  • Frederick — /fred rik, euhr ik/, n. 1. a city in central Maryland. 27,557. 2. Also, Frederic. a male given name: from Germanic words meaning peace and ruler. * * * (as used in expressions) Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Frederick Austerlitz… …   Universalium

  • sir — /serr/, n. 1. a respectful or formal term of address used to a man: No, sir. 2. (cap.) the distinctive title of a knight or baronet: Sir Walter Scott. 3. (cap.) a title of respect for some notable personage of ancient times: Sir Pandarus of Troy …   Universalium

  • sir — (Voz inglesa.) ► sustantivo masculino Tratamiento honorífico empleado por los británicos. * * * sir (ingl.; pronunc. [ser]) m. *Tratamiento de respeto usado en Inglaterra delante de un nombre de hombre o para dirigirse a la persona de que se… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Frederick — (as used in expressions) Ashton, Sir Frederick (William Mallandaine) Frederick Austerlitz Attenborough, Sir David (Frederick) Banting, Sir Frederick Grant Birkenhead, Frederick Edwin Smith, 1 conde de Blanda, George (Frederick) Blunt, Anthony… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Frederick Ashton — Nombre Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton Nacimiento …   Wikipedia Español

  • Frederick Ashton — Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton OM, CH,CBE, (September 17, 1904 October 18, 1988) 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… …   Wikipedia

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