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The English National Ballet (ENB),
established in the 1950's, has a
multi-faceted repertoire ranging from classics such as The
Nutcracker, Swan Lake, and Giselle
to works made popular by the Ballet Russes, as well as new works
from the international repertoire. The company's major
award-winning productions include Coppelia, Onegin,
The Taming of the Shrew, and La Sylphide, as
well as two different productions of Romeo and Juliet.
In 1992, I was commissioned to create an original soundtrack for "The Nutcracker
Ball", a special event to celebrate 100 years of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker. I composed, recorded, and produced three pieces in the national styles of
China, Near East, and Russia, and
the ballet was performed by ENB's principle dancers and Wayne
Sleep. The
project explored the possibilities of a diverse musical ensemble
that included traditional instruments from the country honored,
a string orchestra and a series of computer-controlled
synthesizers. The audience (including Secretaries of State, the
late HRH
The Princess of Wales, TV reporters, and critics) gave the
performance a warm and enthusiastic reception. The project was
recognized by ENB and HRH The Princess of Wales for offering an
original and fresh approach to the musical traditions involved,
and its success resulted in my commission by the London
Chinese Orchestra. |
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