Seven Deadly Sins is a hybrid work which can equally well feature in the repertoire of opera and dance companies, as well as in concert. In London, English National Opera staged it in 1978, but at Covent Garden, it was the Royal Ballet that kept Sir Kenneth MacMillan's version in the repertoire.
MacMillan's staging opened at the Edinburgh Festival in the building now known as the Festival Theatre. With Motherwell-born Gibson and Dunfermline-born MacMillan leading the creative team there was a strong Scottish contribution, though Western Theatre Ballet did not move to Scotland until the end of the decade.
The evening consisted of a triple bill of three ballets, with the addition of Salade (by Peter Darrell) and Renard (by Alfred Rodrigues) - the latter with music by Stravinsky, and also using the quartet of male singers. This included Murray Dickie, long resident in Vienna, making a rare trip home. Cleo Laine joined the production at a late stage - Anna I was originally scheduled to be sung by Lotte Lenya (Weill's widow), but she was unwilling to be involved in a completely new interpretation of the work.
Only the date of the opening shown at present.
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