''Gloria'' is a ballet created by

Kenneth MacMillan Sir Kenneth MacMillan (11 December 192929 October 1992) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer who was artistic director of the Royal Ballet in London between 1970 and 1977, and its principal choreographer from 1977 until his death. E ...

in 1980 for the

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in ...

, London. The music is

Francis Poulenc Francis Jean Marcel Poulenc (; 7 January 189930 January 1963) was a French composer and pianist. His compositions include songs, solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music. Among the best-kno ...

's '' Gloria'' for soprano, chorus and orchestra (1961). The first performance was at the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

on 13 March 1980. The lead roles were danced by

Wayne Eagling Wayne Eagling (born 27 November 1950) is a Canadian ballet dancer, now retired. After more than twenty years as a popular member of The Royal Ballet in London, he became well known as an international choreographer and company director. Early li ...

Jennifer Penney Jennifer Penney (born 1946) is a Canadian ballerina and a former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet. Jennifer Penney was born in 1946 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. She studied there with Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally, and then at ...

, Julian Hosking and Wendy Ellis. The soprano soloist was

Teresa Cahill Teresa (also Theresa, Therese; french: Thérèse) is a feminine given name. It originates in the Iberian Peninsula in late antiquity. Its derivation is uncertain, it may be derived from Greek θερίζω (''therízō'') "to harvest or re ...

; the conductor was Ashley Lawrence; designs (scenery and costumes) were by Andy Klunder,Percival, John. "Gloria", ''The Times'', 14 March 1980, p. 13 with lighting by Bill Besant.Gloria. ''About the House'', Vol.5, No.12, Summer 1980, p18-19. Also named among the first cast were

Ross MacGibbon Ross MacGibbon (born 29 January 1955) is a British former ballet dancer, and now a film maker, especially for ballet and opera. Ross MacGibbon danced with the Royal Ballet from 1973-86. MacGibbon's won the 1998 International Emmy Award for his fil ...

Ashley Page Ashley Page OBE (born August 1956) is a British former ballet dancer, choreographer and was artistic director of Scottish Ballet for ten years. Ashley Page was born in Rochester, Kent in August 1956. Page trained the Royal Ballet School, and joi ...

, Fiona Chadwick and

Genesia Rosato Genesia Rosato (born 29 September 1957) is a retired British ballerina. She was a principal character artist with the Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, where her career lasted four decades from 1976 to 2016. Early life Genesia Rosato was born in Surr ...

Notes

Ballets by Kenneth MacMillan 1980 ballet premieres {{ballet-stub