Hello everyone!

Welcome to the ramblings of someone who is particularly interested in the world of 19th century ballet. Here, you will find my arrangements of well-known, lesser-known and even forgotten ballets as I aim to present revivals that honour their original visions while updating them to more modern (i.e. late 19th century) tastes. Set in late 19th century London at Her Majesty’s Theatre and Covent Garden, you will find the fictionalised productions and backstage drama of the rebirth of ballet in London in the late Victorian era.

This project is born out of respect and appreciation for these works and a passion for preserving their authenticity. When these ballets are revived today, they are all too often treated as historical curiosities, with their scores, librettos and even stagings altered beyond recognition or reshaped to fit modern tastes. My philosophy is to stay as true as possible to the original librettos and scores, making changes only where history and tradition would allow. I aim to revise the ballets in the way that Petipa might have done, as he revived older works such as Paquita, La Esmeralda and Giselle.

In my arrangements, I aim to adhere to the original librettos, shortening scene lengths only when necessary for modern pacing. However, when it comes to pas and variations I allow myself more creative freedom (as would have been done in the 19th century), expanding, adding or reworking dances to increase the spectacle, highlight an individual dancer’s strengths or balance out the narrative. I aim to ensure that each of my changes are historically justified and are coherent with standards and practices of the period.

Alongside these musical arrangements, I share backstage stories and historical context to support the musical revisions. These stories provide a glimpse into the challenges, thought processes and even drama that shaped these productions, both giving context to the musical changes and fleshing out the ballet scene in late 19th century London.

I hope to provide a space for anyone who shares a curiosity about 19th century ballet or simply wants to discover the beauty of works that have slipped through the cracks of history, instead gathering dust in various archives. Let us explore these tuneful and danceable scores together, giving them the recognition they deserve and imagining how they might have shone onstage in the past and perhaps might even shine onstage once more.

AM

Please note that all rights are reserved concerning the music (including arrangements and additional compositions), characters and stories featured on this site. While the stories presented are theoretically grounded in historical context, they are fictional creations intended for entertainment and should not be interpreted as historical fact. All images used are believed to be in the public domain. Any resemblance to real-life events or individuals is purely coincidental and unintentional.