A Month in the

Country (ballet)

A Month in the Country is a narrative ballet created in 1976 with choreography by Frederick
Ashton, to the music of Frédéric Chopin (three works for piano and orchestra) arranged by John
Lanchbery. It is based on the play by Ivan Turgenev of the same name, and lasts for about 40
minutes.[1]

History

Ashton had the idea of a ballet based on A Month in the Country since seeing the play in the
1930s at the Westminster Theatre, but a meeting with Isaiah Berlin in the late 1960s helped him
decide on the subject, and he took up Berlin's suggestion of using the music of Chopin. During
the preparation of the ballet, Ashton encouraged the dancers to see the play in London with
Dorothy Tutin as Natalia.[2] Ashton also credited Michael Somes "who brought the music used in
the ballet to my notice" and Martyn Thomas who helped construct the action of the ballet to
correspond with this music.{1978progr}

The ballet was first performed on Thursday, 12 February 1976, by The Royal Ballet at the Royal
Opera House, Covent Garden, with Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell in the leading roles; later
interpreters have included Merle Park and Sylvie Guillem as Natalia and Michael Coleman,
Mikhail Baryshnikov, Bruce Sansom and Ivan Putrov as Belaiev. The work was performed by the
Royal Ballet every season from 1976 to 1979 and has been regularly revived at Covent Garden.[3]
It has also been seen on tour in New York and Havana. In 1995, Dowell mounted the ballet for
the National Ballet of Canada with Karen Kain as Natalia and Robert Conn as Beliaev, the first
time it had been performed by any other company.

Peggy Ashcroft – after seeing a performance – told Ashton that she thought his adaptation was
better than the original.[2]

Story

The action takes place at Yslaev's country house in 1850.

The story concerns the emotional disturbance caused by the presence of a tutor in the home of
a country Russian family. Natalia Petrovna, a bored wife, falls for the young tutor of Kolia,
Belaiev. The ballet contains a series of pas de deux which carry the action forward: Natalia and
her admirer Rakitin, Belaiev and Vera, Natalia's ward, Belaiev and the maid Katia, and Belaiev and
Natalia. In the finale, Vera summons the household to witness the embraces of Natalia and
Belaiev; Rakitin tells Belaiev that both of them should leave the house. Alone on stage, Natalia
despairs at the young man's departure, but he returns unseen and unheard and leaves her the
rose she had given him.

Music

The music is by Chopin:

Variations on "Là ci darem la mano" in B-flat major

Fantaisie brillante on Polish Airs in A major

Andante spianato et grande polonaise brillante[4]

Ashton dedicated the work to Sophie Fedorovitch and Bronislava Nijinska "Chopin's compatriots
and my mentors".[5]

An audio recording of the ballet score prepared by Lanchbery and conducted by him, with the
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and Philip Gammon (piano) was issued on
the HMV Greensleeve label in 1977.[6] , accessed 27 January 2017.</ref> filmed for television in
1978, with Seymour and Dowell, and issued on videotape.[7]

Original cast
 Role Dancer

Natalia Petrovna Lynn Seymour

Yslaev Alexander Grant

Kolia Wayne Sleep

Vera Denise Nunn

Rakitin Derek Rencher

Katia Marguerite Porter

Matvei Anthony Conway

Beliaev Anthony Dowell

References

1. Vaughan D. Frederick Ashton and his Ballets. A & C Black Ltd, London, 1977.

2. Kavanagh J. Secret Muses: The Life of Frederick Ashton. Faber & Faber Ltd, London, 1996.

3. Bland A. The Royal Ballet – the first 50 years. Threshold Books, London, 1981.

4. Lanchbery J. Programme note for Royal Ballet, 9 August 1984.

5. Note by Ashton in the programme. Royal Opera House Covent Garden programme booklet, ballet triple
bill, 28 January 1978.

6. Sleevenote for LP ESD 7037.

7. British Film Institute website: http://www.bfi.org.uk/films-tv-people/4ce2b7080c7f4 , accessed 16

October 2009.

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