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Enigma Variations (My Friends Pictured Within)-8 March 1984 Evening 7.30pm

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Ballet: Performance details

Company: The Royal Ballet
Venue: Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London
Performance status: Revival
Conductor Elgar Howarth
Leader John Brown
Cast
Edward Elgar (E.D.U.) Derek Rencher
The Lady (C.A.E.)
Elgar's wife 'Whose life was a romantic and delicate inspiration' 		Rosalind Eyre
Hew David Steuart-Powell (H.D.S.-P.)
One of Elgar's chamber-music cronies 		Simon Horrill
Richard Baxter Townshend (R.B.T.)
An amiable reedy-voiced eccentric who rode about on a tricycle 		Anthony Molyneux
William Meath Baker (W.M.B.)
'With a slip of paper in his hand forcibly read out the arrangements for the day and hurriedly left with a bang' 		Garry Grant
Richard P. Arnold (R.P.A.)
Son of Matthew Arnold, a quiet contemplative scholar 		Ross MacGibbon
Isabel Fitton (Ysobel)
Charming and romantic 		Marguerite Porter
Arthur Troyte Griffith (Troyte)
A very close friend, outspoken and brusque though 'the boisterous mood is mere banter' 		Michael Coleman
Winifred Norbury (W.N.)
'Her gracious personality is sedately shown' 		Jacqui Tallis
A.J. Jaeger (Nimrod)
This variation recalls a summer evening's talk about Beethoven and, further, reveals the depth of a friendship 		Robert Jude
Dora Penny (Dorabella)
'The movement suggests a dance-like lightness.' An intimate portrait of a gay but pensive girl with an endearing hesitation in her speech 		Antoinette Sibley
George Robertson Sinclair (G.R.S.)
Or rather 'his bulldog Dan who fell into the river and barked rejoicing on landing. G.R.S. said "Set that to music." I did; here it is' 		Christopher Carr
Basil G. Nevinson (B.G.N.)
'An amateur cello player of distinction - a serious and devoted friend' 		Leslie Edwards
Lady Mary Lygon(***)
'The asterisks take the place of the name of a lady who was, at the time of the composition, on a sea voyage' 		Pippa Wylde
E.D.U. (Edward Elgar) 'Written at a time when friends were dubious and generally discouraging as to the composer's musical future, this variation is merely to show what he intended to do. References to Alice Elgar and to Nimrod, two great influences on the life and art of the composer, are entirely fitting to the intention of the piece'
Schoolgirl Linda Moran
Country Girl Julie Rose
Country Boy Simon Rice
Sailor Girl Nicola Roberts
Sailor Boy Bruce Sansom
Housekeeper Julie Wood
Gardener Mark Freeman
The Carrier Andrew Ward
Country Woman Joanna Allnatt
Telegraph Boy Douglas Howes
The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House
Notes: This performance is one of a series marking the 50th anniversary of Sir Edward Elgar's death.
Durations: Entire work: 8.32-9.05pm
Event: Number 2 in The Royal Ballet mixed programme 8 March 1984
Information source: Royal Opera House programme and stage manager's report for 8 March 1984 (in Royal Opera House Collections)