495:, John Percival wrote, "There have been plenty of ballets about love, but friendship as a subject is rare, and Ashton finds rare and moving expression for it. … What a pleasure it is, after so many ballets about fairytale characters and melodramatic situations, to see credible, adult characters like these on the stage of the Opera House." In
349:"Written at a time when friends were dubious and generally discouraging as to the composer's musical future", this variation is merely to show what he intended to do. References to Alice Elgar and to Nimrod, two great influences on the life and art of the composer, are entirely fitting to the intention of the piece.
157:
Ashton used the whole of Elgar's published score, with the exception of the finale, for which he went back to the composer's original ending. When completing the score in 1898, Elgar had been persuaded by his publisher (portrayed as "Nimrod" of the variations) to add a further 96 bars to the ending.
142:
Elgar's variations portray, in his words, "My friends pictured within", celebrating, and in some cases caricaturing, members of his circle. He commented to one of them, Troyte
Griffith, years after the premiere that if the variations had been written by a Russian rather than an Englishman they would
166:
The piece shows an imaginary gathering of Elgar and his friends at the Elgars' house in
Worcestershire. The composer, at this point in his career struggling and little known, is awaiting a message from London. While they are waiting, the Elgars and their friends are portrayed in dances representing
501:, Alexander Bland found the character of Elgar himself remained ill-defined, but thought the work ideal for "Ashton's delicate water-colour talent and his inimitable gift for inventing short flowing variations, and it is a fine vehicle for the smooth, soft Royal Ballet style."
522:
of "a number of central-casting
English eccentrics running around in tweeds and brandishing ear trumpets. But the center of the piece is Elgar, and Ashton has fleshed out his portrait. … No other ballet choreographer has examined normal emotions with such sophistication."
154:, then still a student, submitted designs for a ballet to be based on Elgar's music. At the time the idea was not taken up, but in the 1960s Ashton had come round to it, and invited Trevelyan Oman, by then a rising star of theatre design, to collaborate.
512:, who wrote that the choreography did not enhance one's appreciation of the characters depicted in the music, but impeded it: "it was like those television sports commentators who carefully tell us what we have just seen." In 2002,
174:
Ashton, drawing on a commentary written by the composer in 1929, included in the programme alongside the cast list the notes in the third column, below. The words in quotation marks are by Elgar.
531:
The ballet has been revived by the Royal Ballet in each decade since the premiere. As of 2020 the most recent Royal Ballet production was in
December 2019 as part of a heritage program featuring
167:
their personalities. After the last of these, Ashton contributes his own "enigma"; a telegram arrives: the characters know, but the audience does not, that it is from the celebrated conductor
158:
With the permission of the Elgar estate, Ashton used the shorter version, previously unheard by even the most dedicated
Elgarians. The playing time of the ballet is about half an hour.
819:
143:
long ago have been turned into a ballet. It was not until six years after the composer's death that an attempt was made to do so, by the choreographer Frank Staff for
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305:"The movement suggests a dance-like lightness." An intimate portrait of a gay but pensive girl with an endearing hesitation in her speech.
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Or rather "his bulldog Dan who fell into the river and barked rejoicing on landing. G.R.S. said 'Set that to music.' I did; here it is."
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Outside of The Royal Ballet and
Birmingham Royal Ballet, the only other Ballet Company that has been given permission to perform
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235:"With a slip of paper in his hand forcibly read out the arrangements for the day and hurriedly left with a bang."
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294:
This variation recalls a summer evening's talk about
Beethoven and, further, reveals the depth of a friendship.
147:
in 1940. Staff's ballet focused on the mood of the variations rather than on the personalities who inspired it.
574:, which most recently performed the ballet in honor of the piece's 50th Anniversary in December 2018 alongside
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338:"The asterisks take the place of the name of a lady who was, at the time of the composition, on a sea voyage."
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551:. One of the performances was relayed in cinemas and later released on a DVD. This cast featured
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820:"Concerto/ Enigma Variations/ Raymonda Act III; Russell Maliphant: Silent Lines – review"
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A very close friend, outspoken and brusque though "the boisterous mood is mere banter."
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874:"The Sarasota Ballet substitutes 'The Nutcracker' for dazzling 'Victorian Winters'"
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679:"Lincoln Center Festival; Ashton Celebration July 6–17, 2004 – "Enigma Variations"
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628:
150:
The idea for Ashton's ballet originated in the early 1950s, when the designer
134:, London, on 25 October 1968. It has been revived in every subsequent decade.
491:
748:"Enigma Variations (My Friends Pictured Within) – 25 October 1968 Evening"
631:
of a transcribed score of the piece. Posthumously republished in 1946 as
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327:"An amateur cello player of distinction – a serious and devoted friend."
860:"The Royal Ballet: Concerto, Enigma Variations, Raymonda Act 3 (DVD)"
171:
agreeing to conduct Elgar's new work. There is an exuberant finale.
221:
An amiable reedy-voiced eccentric who rode about on a tricycle.
555:
as the Lady Elgar, Christopher
Saunders as Edward Elgar,
838:"Concerto / Enigma Variations / Raymonda Act III (2019)"
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Percival, John. "Ashton and the quality of friendship",
196:"Whose life was a romantic and delicate inspiration."
696:"Enigma of Elgar Variations finale on record at last"
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804:. "Life Steps: The Frederick Ashton Centennial",
723:. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p.
477:Source:Royal Opera House performance database.
380:Richard Baxter Townshend (R.B.T.) – Brian Shaw
283:"Her gracious personality is sedately shown."
97:Enigma Variations (My Friends Pictured Within)
759:Percival John. "Looking at Ashton's Enigma",
8:
750:, Royal Opera House, accessed 31 March 2013
17:
389:Richard P. Arnold (R.P.A.) – Robert Mead
176:
648:
620:
772:Bland, Alexander. "Ashton and Elgar",
374:Hew David Steuart-Powell (H.D.S-P.) –
207:One of Elgar's chamber-music cronies.
848:from the original on 7 February 2020.
422:George Robertson Sinclair (G.R.S.) –
7:
910:Ballets created for The Royal Ballet
905:Ballets to the music of Edward Elgar
660:
658:
656:
654:
652:
604:List of historical ballet characters
204:Hew David Steuart-Powell (H.D.S-P.)
818:Crompton, Susan (27 October 2019).
313:George Robertson Sinclair (G.R.S.)
398:Arthur Troyte Griffith (Troyte) –
122:. The work was first given by the
14:
504:One dissenting voice was that of
250:, a quiet contemplative scholar.
193:The Lady – Elgar's wife (C.A.E.)
627:Notes for the Aeolian Company's
449:Country boy – Donald Kirkpatrick
346:Finale "E.D.U. (Edward Elgar) "
269:Arthur Troyte Griffith (Troyte)
243:Richard Penrose Arnold (R.P.A.)
383:William Meath Baker (W.M.B.) –
107:Variations on an Original Theme
452:Sailor girl – Christine Aitken
1:
428:Basil G. Nevinson (B.G.N.) –
788:. "Go take a running jump",
570:'s Enigma Variations is The
464:The carrier – Gary Sinclaire
440:Schoolgirl – Patricia Linton
900:Ballets by Frederick Ashton
470:Telegraph boy – John Haynes
467:Country woman – Lois Strike
324:Basil G. Nevinson (B.G.N.)
926:
808:, 2 August 2004, pp. 84–85
719:Elgar: 'Enigma' Variations
633:My Friends Pictured Within
461:Gardener – Ronald Plaisted
455:Sailor boy – Frank Freeman
404:Winifred Norbury (W.N.) –
416:Dora Penny (Dorabella) –
392:Isabel Fitton (Ysobel) –
792:, 10 October 1988, p. 16
776:, 27 October 1968, p. 27
763:, 2 November 1968, p. 19
458:Housekeeper – Julie Wood
434:*** (Lady Mary Lygon) –
362:Edward Elgar (E.D.U.) –
280:Winifred Norbury (W.N.)
216:Richard Baxter Townshend
668:, 26 October 1968, p. 9
410:A.J. Jaeger (Nimrod) –
302:Dora Penny (Dorabella)
258:Isabel Fitton (Ysobel)
100:is a one-act ballet by
63:Original ballet company
335:*** (Lady Mary Lygon)
261:Charming and romantic
183:Edward Elgar (E.D.U.)
104:, to the music of the
895:1968 ballet premieres
702:, 16 April 2003, p. 8
291:A.J. Jaeger (Nimrod)
610:Notes and references
368:The Lady (C.A.E.) –
152:Julia Trevelyan Oman
77:Julia Trevelyan Oman
230:William Meath Baker
876:, 16 December 2018
485:Critical reception
406:Georgina Parkinson
370:Svetlana Beriosova
842:Royal Opera House
586:George Balanchine
559:as Dorabella and
557:Francesca Hayward
533:Kenneth MacMillan
418:Antoinette Sibley
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128:Royal Opera House
112:Enigma Variations
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21:Enigma Variations
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683:Dance View Times
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568:Frederick Ashton
180:Theme (andante)
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102:Frederick Ashton
67:The Royal Ballet
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541:and Act III of
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443:Country girl –
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385:Alexander Grant
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581:Les Patineurs
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169:Hans Richter
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124:Royal Ballet
120:Edward Elgar
111:
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40:Edward Elgar
15:
629:piano rolls
563:as Troyte.
424:Wayne Sleep
332:Var. XIII.
277:Var. VIII.
889:Categories
734:0521631750
643:References
343:Var. XIV.
321:Var. XII.
266:Var. VII.
212:Var. III.
138:Background
790:The Times
761:The Times
666:The Times
516:wrote in
510:The Times
492:The Times
310:Var. XI.
288:Var. IX.
255:Var. VI.
232:(W.M.B.)
226:Var. IV.
218:(R.B.T.)
201:Var. II.
846:Archived
715:(1999).
598:See also
591:Diamonds
548:Raymonda
538:Concerto
527:Revivals
299:Var. X.
240:Var. V.
190:Var. I.
162:Synopsis
56:, London
46:Premiere
246:Son of
126:at the
118:36, by
83:Setting
731:
73:Design
615:Notes
36:Music
729:ISBN
584:and
725:110
588:'s
578:'s
545:'s
535:'s
508:in
489:In
116:Op.
114:),
891::
844:.
840:.
822:.
727:.
698:,
681:,
651:^
594:.
130:,
862:.
826:.
737:.
635:.
110:(
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