Mayerling
Adult drama meets sublime choreography in Kenneth MacMillan’s masterpiece. A story of passion and madness based on historical fact.
Photos
Introduction
Rudolf, the emotionally unstable Crown Prince of Austria-Hungary, is forced to marry Princess Stephanie of Belgium against his will. He is drawn into a downward spiral of political intrigue, violence and, ultimately, suicide.
News and features
Farewell to The Royal Ballet's Leanne Benjamin
Send us your farewell wishes for Leanne as she makes her final Covent Garden performance in Mayerling.
Farewell to The Royal Ballet's Mara Galeazzi
Send us your best wishes for Mara and make a gift to our Pointe Shoes Appeal for the chance to win a pair of the shoes worn in her final performance.
Ballet Boots mayhem in Mayerling
How the Pointe Shoes Room manages the colossal numbers of ballet boots required for MacMillan's ballet.
Alina Cojocaru and Johan Kobborg to leave The Royal Ballet at the end of 2012/13 season
Principals' final performance at Covent Garden in Mayerling on 5 June.
Who's who in Mayerling: our family tree guide
Identify the characters and unravel their complex relationships.
Edward Watson and Mara Galeazzi team up to launch Pointe Shoes Appeal
Dancers offer an insight into a vital aspect of their performance.
Background
Kenneth MacMillan turned to the double suicide of the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire and his teenage mistress for this 1978 work. The music of Franz Liszt, arranged by John Lanchbery, provides a sweeping soundscape to match the high emotion of the drama, while the designs of Nicholas Georgiadis bring to life the privileged and oppressive society of the Austro-Hungarian court.
MacMillan’s choreography balances the large-scale – the pomp of a royal wedding and the splendour of a ballroom – with intimate scenes and a willingness to push the boundaries of classical ballet. The role of Rudolf, the violent and troubled Crown Prince of Vienna, is one of the most demanding ever created for a male dancer. His psychological and emotional decline is charted in a series of shockingly charged pas de deux with the women in his life: his mother, his unhappy bride and his young mistress, the neurotic Mary Vetsera.
Please note
Although all seats are sold out online there are still boxes available for each performance. Ring the Box Office on 020 7304 4000 to book.
BP Big Screens 2013
See Mayerling - Thursday 13 June, 7.30pm
Thanks to
Generous philanthropic support from
Celia Blakey, Lady Ashcroft, John and Susan Burns and Gail and Gerald Ronson through the Gerald Ronson Foundation
How to support the Royal Opera House
Running time
About 3 hours | Including two intervals. Act One will last for about 41 minutes followed by a 20 minute interval. Act Two will last for about 52 minutes followed by a 20 minute interval. Act Three will last for about 38 minutes.
Credits
| Choreography | Kenneth MacMillan |
| Music | Franz Liszt |
| arranged and orchestrated by | John Lanchbery |
| Designs | Nicholas Georgiadis |
| Scenario | Gillian Freeman |
| Lighting design | John B Read |
| Staging | Grant Coyle |
| Staging | Monica Mason |
Related links
- www.youtube.com Watch: Mayerling Masterclass
- en.wikipedia.org Wikipedia: Mayerling
- www.rohcollections.org.uk Costume collection – Mayerling
