Premiered on 12th January 1895 at the Lyceum Theatre, London

Choreography: William Thompson

Music: Auguste Péchard

Premiers Rôles

Première Danseuse: Sarah Nicholson

Premier Danseur: Antoine Férat

Danseuses: Lucia Rinaldi, Marie Saunier

Danseurs: Frederick Hale, Charles Jennings

History

Original Production

This Pas de Six was originally choreographed by William Thompson in 1895. It was choreographed for King Arthur, a play by J. Comyns Carr that premiered on the 12th January 1895 at the Lyceum Theatre.

King Arthur had incidental music provided by Arthur Sullivan, who provided music for five songs with words by Carr. In the play’s initial conception, there were no plans for a ballet, or indeed much dancing, to be part of the play. However, it was eventually decided to include a ballet in the Act II celebrations of the Queen’s Maying, but a short divertissement rather than an extended feature.

William Thompson, the celebrated choreographer of the Royal Opera House at Covent Garden was chosen to choreograph the work, and Sarah Nicholson, the reigning première danseuse, was chosen to dance it. Thompson conceived a plotless Pas de Six, in which Nicholson and her cavalier were supported by two couples of dancers. The music was to be provided by Péchard, much to Sullivan’s chagrin, but Thompson was insistent that he work with the composer he was used to.

Following the close of the run of the play the pas fell into relative obscurity, though bits and pieces were occasionally heard as incidental music, particularly the final waltz. The pas was revived by Katti Lanner for Adeline Genée sometime in the early twentieth century, where it was adapted into a Pas de Deux. However, it similarly did not stick in the repertory and was retired upon her departure from London.

For a while it was theorised Nicholson inserted this pas into the 1897 revival of The Beauty of Ghent, owing to an indication for a Pas de Six to be inserted and no music being provided in the score. This theory was eventually proven to be false, as it was confirmed that Nicholson had inserted a Pas de Six written for her in the 1893 revival of The Fairies’ Goddaughter.

Résumé du Pas

Pas de Six

a) Entrée

b) Andante

c) Variation des hommes – MM Hale et Jennings

d) Variation des dames – Mlles Rinaldi et Saunier

e) Variation du premier danseur – M Férat

f) Variation de la première danseuse – Mlle Nicholson

g) Coda