Sweeney Todd (ballet)

Sweeney Todd is a ballet that premiered in 1959 and is based on the character from the serialized novel "The String of Pearls." The play also called Sweeney Todd, Op. 68 was composed by Malcolm Arnold, a work was completed in 1959. John Cranko provided the choreography and scenario and Alix Stone created costumes in the style of Victorian-style "toy theatre".
It was first performed on December 10, 1959 by the Royal Ballet Touring Company at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre at Stratford-Upon-Avon with John Lanchberry conducting the Royal Opera House Orchestra. The dancers who originated the stage roles of the characters included Donald Britton as Sweeney Todd, Johaar Mosaval as Tobias, Elizabeth Anderton as Johanna, Desmond Doyle as Mark Ingestre, ajd Ian Hamilton as Colonel Jeffrey.
== Concert Suites ==
In 1984, the original composer collaborated with composer David Ellis to compile a 20 minute concert suite, Op. 68a, from the ballet. The suite was first performed with the Bristol University Chambre Orchestra on June 19, 1990 at Bristol University in England.
A shortened version of the suite was arranged by Phillip Littlemore for brass band and it premiered October 22, 2006, at the Malcolm Arnold Festival at Derngate in Northampton by the Rushden Windmill Band led by Richard Graves.
Category:Ballets
Category:Plays
Category:Works with Cannibalism
Category:1959 Debuts
Category:Sweeney Todd
Category:Period Pieces
Category:Concerts
Category:Suites