Press Release: Peter Darrell takes his place at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

[Jan McNulty]

PRESS RELEASE – THE PETER DARRELL TRUST AND SADLER’S WELLS THEATRE

 

Peter Darrell takes his place at Sadler’s Wells Theatre

 

The Peter Darrell Trust was delighted last week week to unveil a bronze bust of the late Peter Darrell CBE, founder choreographer of the Scottish Ballet. This new sculpture, by Alison Murray Wells, will be displayed alongside those of his peers, at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London.

 

 

Peter Darrell started his career with Sadler’s Wells Ballet together with a number of young dancers and choreographers, many of whom would become substantial contributors to the history of British Ballet – Kenneth MacMillan, Peter Wright, and John Cranko amongst them.  Peter co-founded the Western Theatre Ballet in 1957 in Bristol and led the company to London where it was based at Sadler’s Wells before again moving to Glasgow in 1969 to become The Scottish Ballet.

 

Acknowledged as a great storyteller in dance and as one of Britain's major choreographers, Peter takes his place with many of the key figures from British dance history that are already represented through a grouping of busts and portraits in the stage door foyer of Sadler’s Wells Theatre.

 

The Peter Darrell Trust is delighted to have been able to gift this new bronze of Darrell to the collection, with the help of personal donations from friends and supporters.

 

Speaking before the unveiling Angela Petrie, Chair of The Peter Darrell Trust thanked all the many donors for their contributions that helped to make the creation of the bust possible; Roger Spence, formerly a General Manager of The Scottish Ballet, thanked Sadler’s Wells for their support in achieving our aim and Alison Murray Wells for her brilliant work in bringing Darrell back to life, while also remembering the very special person who Peter Darrell was.

 

Alistair Spalding, Artistic Director and Chief Executive, of Sadler’s Wells, welcomed Peter back to Sadler’s Wells and spoke of his great choreographic skills and the early ground-breaking narrative works for which he was rightly famed.  Alistair then asked Brenda Last to add a few words on Peter before she, Hazel Merry and Oliver Symons, all dancers from the early days of Western Theatre Ballet, unveiled the bronze to an audience of over 30 old friends and colleagues.

 

Hyperlinks : The Peter Darrell Trust | Welcome;  Alison Murray Wells;

 

Photo Credit : Alan Crumlish

Plaque reads :

Peter Darrell CBE 1929 - 1987

Founder Co-Director - Western Theatre Ballet 1957 – 1969

Founder Director Choreographer - The Scottish Ballet 1969 – 1987

Presented by the Peter Darrell Trust

Sculptor : Alison Murray Wells

 

 

 

 

[Jan McNulty]

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