Jardin aux Lilas
Jardin aux Lilas (English: Lilac Garden) is a dramatic ballet choreographed by Antony Tudor. Set to Ernest Chausson's Poème, the ballet premiered at the Mercury Theatre, London, with Ballet Rambert in 1936. It received its U.S. premiere in 1940 as part of the debut season of the newly formed Ballet Theatre (today known as American Ballet Theatre) at Center Theatre in New York.
Jardin aux Lilas is an early example of Tudor's mastery at conveying profound psychological meaning and nuance through ballet vocabulary. Among Tudor's earlier works, it is also one of his most beloved, and continues to be performed by ballet companies the world over.
It is set at a garden reception of the Edwardian era, where a young woman, Caroline, is engaged to marry a man she does not love. She steals brief moments together with Her Lover during the gathering, while The Man She Must Marry himself privately encounters An Episode in His Past, also present at the reception. Caroline ultimately bids Her Lover a halted farewell as The Man She Must Marry takes her on his arm and leads her away in their betrothal of convenience. Her Lover, having secretly given Caroline a gift of lilacs at the last possible moment, is left alone as the curtain closes.
The original cast included the choreographer himself in the role of The Man She Must Marry, as well as Maude Lloyd as Caroline, Hugh Laing as Her Lover, and Peggy van Praagh as An Episode in His Past.
References
Sources
- Sawyer, Elizabeth, in: Dance Chronicle, 2003, Vol. 26, Issue 1, p31-84, 54p.; Taylor & Francis, Ltd