Pick of the bunch from the Ashton exhibition
We take a look at some of the exhibits at the Sir Frederick Ashton exhibition in Ipswich, looking at the man and the ballets he created.
There exists in my imagination a life in the country of eternally late spring, a leafy pastorale of perpetual sunshine and the humming of bees – the suspended stillness of a Constable landscape of my beloved Suffolk, luminous and calm.
- Sir Frederick Ashton
Split over three sites – the opulent beauty of Christchurch Mansion, the Victorian splendour of the town hall and the waterfront setting of Dance East’s Jerwood DanceHouse – this summer’s Ashton exhibition in Ipswich has been a huge success, attracting an appreciative audience from 7 to 70 from as far afield as Zimbabwe and the USA.
The founder choreographer of the Royal Ballet, Sir Frederick Ashton lived in the area and the exhibition celebrates his Suffolk links and the influence of the countryside on his work, including amongst others the quintessential Suffolk Ballet La Fille mal gardée, Tales of Beatrix Potter and Cinderella.
We took a look around and picked out a few of the best bits of an exhibition acclaimed by Gallery Services Manager Marlene Moyes (as well as a number of other visitors judging by the bulging guest book) as “my favourite exhibition in over 21 years”…
The Ashton exhibition runs until Sunday 9th October in Ipswich. Find our more information in our earlier preview blog
The Exhibition looks quite superb. The attention to detail in the Beatrix Potter costumes is out of this world - God ONLY knows HOW COOL the various dancers who take the various parts, must feel on stage in them.