Sadler’s Wells Ballet,

Press, 23 January 1985, Page 18

Sadler’s Wells Ballet,

Thirty years after it last performed in the South Island, the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet is bringing three full length ballets to New Zealand. In Christchurch the company will dance “Giselle” and “La Fille Mai Gardee.” “Sleeping Beauty” is the other full length ballet in the company’s New Zealand repertoire and a short piece, “Five Tangos,” will be included on the programme with “Giselle.”

The ballets are among the best-known of the company’s repertoire and feature choreography peculiar to the Sadler’s Wells productions of the ballets.

Two New Zealanders are in the 60 member company. They are Sherilyn Kennedy and Ashley Lawrence. Sherilyn Kennedy was born in Auckland, New Zealand, where she began her ballet training at the age of five, and at 16 she joined the National Ballet School. While in New Zealand she created the role of the Snow Maiden for the New Zealand Broadcasting Corporation, with choreography by Bernard Hourseau.

In 1973, she went to England and entered the Royal Ballet School, and in the same year danced the lead

role in the third movement of Kenneth MacMillan’s “Concerto” at the Royal Ballet School’s annual performance.

The following year she joined the Royal Ballet’s touring company, now Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet; and in 1978 she was promoted to soloist when her roles began to include Swanilda in “Coppelia,” Lise in “La Fille mal Gardee,” and roles in “Grosse Fuge,” “Concerto,” “Danses Concertantes,” “Rhyme nor Reason,” and “Les Patineurs.”

In 1980 she was promoted to principal. In November, 1980, she was chosen as one of the first casts to dance the leading role of Odette/ Odille in the company’s new production of “Swan Lake,” in which she danced the Hungarian Princess at the first performance. Ashley Lawrence was born in Hamilton. Before going to England he studied physics and mathematics, obtaining a science degree in both subjects. He arrived in London in 1956 on a Royal School’s Scholarship and spent three years at the Royal College of Music studying piano and conducting. For a short time he taught mathematics and

physics at Wandsworth « Technical College before * abandoning teaching to take a conductor’s course under < Raphael Kubelik, in Swit- ; zerland. -

In 1962 he joined the Royal Ballet and was soon conducting at Covent Gar- * den. In September, 1966, he , became the musical direc- « tor of the ballet company at J the Deutsche Oper in West . Berlin, and in 1971 was ■ appointed musical director 2 of the Stuttgart Ballet. In - the same year he became ' principal conductor of the „ BBC Concert Orchestra. In ’ 1972 he was appointed the ’ principal conductor of the « Royal Ballet, and in 1973 * music director. ,

In recent years he has ) conducted at the Henry > Wood Promenade Concerts. ; He is a frequent guest con- ♦ ductor with the Paris Opera • Ballet and worked with ’ them on their tour of. Russia. ‘

The ballet company will * be accompanied by the ‘ Christchurch Symphony • Orchestra.

The company is travelling • with five containers of cos-«' tumes and sets and will appear in the four main • centres. '

The Christchurch season runs from March 4 to 9.