Derek Rencher

Rencher as Paris in MacMillan's Romeo and Juliet

Derek Rencher (6 June 1932 – 20 December 2014) was an English ballet dancer. He was known for his long association with The Royal Ballet.

Life and career

Rencher was born in Birmingham, and studied at the Royal College of Art in London before training as a dancer with George Goncharov.[1] In 1952 he joined the Sadler's Wells Ballet (as the company was known until the grant of its Royal Charter in 1956); he was promoted to soloist in 1957 and to principal in 1969.[2]

Rencher created his first role for Frederick Ashton in 1961, as Demaphoön in Persephone. Other role creations for Ashton included Edward Elgar in Enigma Variations, Rakitin in A Month in the Country and a role in Walk to the Paradise Garden.[3] For Kenneth MacMillan he created Paris in Romeo and Juliet, Monsieur G.M. in Manon, Tsar Nicholas II in the three-act version of Anastasia, Prince Philipp in Mayerling, Paris Singer in Isadora.[4] Other roles were in Shadowplay, Rituals, A Month in the Country, The Dream, The Tempest and Winter Dreams.[5]

In addition to these roles, Rencher's repertoire included Swan Lake, The Firebird, Cinderella, Hamlet, Mam'zelle Angot, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, Giselle, Sylvia, Les Illuminations, The Prince of the Pagodas, The Lady and the Fool, and La Bayadère.[5]

Rencher designed for the Australian Ballet (One in Five), the Philadelphia Ballet (Swan Lake) and the Royal Ballet (costumes for Lament of the Waves and Siesta).[5]

He retired after the Royal Ballet's 1997–98 season, and died of a heart attack, aged 82. His partner, the dancer Brian Shaw, predeceased him.[6]

Notes

  1. ↑ Obituary, The Daily Telegraph, retrieved 18 March 2015
  2. ↑ "Derek Rencher", Royal Opera House, retrieved 18 March 2015
  3. ↑ Anderson, Zoë. The Royal Ballet: 75 Years (2006). Faber and Faber. ISBN 978-0-571-26090-4
  4. ↑ retrieved 18 March 2015
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Royal Opera House programme booklet, 26 January 1993
  6. ↑ Obituary. The Times, 5 March 2015