Ann Hutchinson Guest
The death of the internationally celebrated choreographer Antony Tudor made the ballet world aware of the importance of preserving his works to enrich future generations before it was too late. Soiree Musicale, the first Tudor ballet to be made available in published form, will provide access to this delightful piece both to dancers and dance students as well as to teachers, historians, researchers and scholars concerned in the art. It is hoped that an understanding of this ballet will stimulate a desire to publish other works by this choreographer, who pointed the way to a deeper psychological insight into the art of ballet. The pages of history speak for themselves. Tudor’s place in the development of ballet is assured, and it is vital that his heritage be kept alive as an essential pan of dance education and scholarship. Soiree Musicale is a charming, lively piece, well-suited to classroom study as well as stage performance. Although technically demanding when performed up to full tempo, the dances allow for a degree of personal interpretation and expression which can surmount technical problems. In the book the full Labanotation score is accompanied by detailed study and performance notes, historical background and photographs which provide the flavor of this much-loved piece.
