''The Rake's Progress'' is a short 1935 ballet based on the drawings of

William Hogarth William Hogarth (; 10 November 1697 – 26 October 1764) was an English painter, engraver, pictorial satirist, social critic, editorial cartoonist and occasional writer on art. His work ranges from realistic portraiture to comic strip-like ...

, with music by Gavin Gordon (1901-1970), choreography by

Ninette de Valois Dame Ninette de Valois (born Edris Stannus; 6 June 1898 – 8 March 2001) was an Irish-born British dancer, teacher, choreographer, and director of classical ballet. Most notably, she danced professionally with Serge Diaghilev's Ballets Russ ...

, and set design by

Rex Whistler Reginald John "Rex" Whistler (24 June 190518 July 1944) was a British artist, who painted murals and society portraits, and designed theatrical costumes. He was killed in action in Normandy in World War II. Whistler was the brother of poet and ...

. Gavin Gordon had written some earlier ballets that were not successful. By contrast, ''The Rake's Progress'' was an instant hit and has remained in the repertoires of a number of ballet companies. It is the only work of Gavin Gordon's that is remembered today.

Background

Gordon based his scenario for the ballet on Hogarth's series of paintings called ''

A Rake's Progress ''A Rake's Progress'' (or ''The Rake's Progress'') is a series of eight paintings by 18th-century English artist William Hogarth. The canvases were produced in 1732–1734, then engraved in 1734 and published in print form in 1735. The series ...

''. These paintings influenced him far more literally than was the case with Igor Stravinsky in his 1951 operatic treatment. Stravinsky's Hogarthian borrowings were limited to the name of the protagonist, the general notion of his progress, and specific ideas for two of the scenes. The ballet was Gordon's own concept, and he persuaded

to choreograph it. ''The Rake's Progress'' was produced at the Sadler's Wells Theatre in 1935. The costumes and scenery were by

. They were destroyed in the Netherlands during the Second World War, while Sadler's Wells were visiting that country, but were remade for a revival.

Structure

The ballet consists of the following numbers: *Prelude *The Reception *The Dancing Lesson (Menuetto galante) *The Orgy (Rondo) *The Faithful Girl (Loure) *The Gambling Den (Gigue) *Outside the Prison Gates (Sarabande) *The Mad House (Quodlibet). Gordon employed the Swannee whistle in his orchestration. The ballet has had several recordings (conductors include

Constant Lambert Leonard Constant Lambert (23 August 190521 August 1951) was a British composer, conductor, and author. He was the founder and music director of the Royal Ballet, and (alongside Ninette de Valois and Frederick Ashton) he was a major figure in th ...

and

Barry Wordsworth Barry Wordsworth (born 20 February 1948, Worcester Park, Surrey, U.K.) is a British conductor. Wordsworth is Principal Guest Conductor of the Royal Ballet and has had a long relationship with company. He was first appointed as Assistant Cond ...

Robert Helpmann Sir Robert Murray Helpmann CBE ( Helpman, 9 April 1909 – 28 September 1986) was an Australian ballet dancer, actor, director, and choreographer. After early work in Australia he moved to Britain in 1932, where he joined the Vic-Wells Ballet ( ...

, who was in the original cast, included it in

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 ...

's first tour of Australia in 1956. Other major artists to be associated with ''The Rake's Progress'' include

Margot Fonteyn Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias DBE (''née'' Hookham; 18 May 191921 February 1991), known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet (formerly the Sadler's Wells ...

and

Beryl Grey Dame Beryl Elizabeth Grey (née Groom; 11 June 1927 – 10 December 2022) was a British ballet dancer. Early life Born in Highgate, London, she began dance classes at the age of four while attending Sherbourne Preparatory School, and by age eig ...

Original 1935 cast

*The Rake:

* The Betrayed Girl:

Alicia Markova Dame Alicia Markova DBE (1 December 1910 – 2 December 2004) was a British ballerina and a choreographer, director and teacher of classical ballet. Most noted for her career with Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and touring internation ...

*The Dancing Master: *Man with a Rope: *The Rake’s Friend/A Card Player: *Betrayed Girl’s Mother: *The Dancer: *The Ballad Singer:

1982 revival cast

*The Rake: David Morse *The Betrayed Girl: Nicola Katrak *The Dancing Master: Kim Reeder *Man with a Rope:

David Bintley Sir David Julian Bintley (born 17 September 1957) is an English former ballet dancer, the artistic director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and co-artistic director of the New National Theatre Tokyo ballet company. Early life Bintley was born ...

*The Rake’s Friend/A Card Player:

Michael Corder Michael Corder (born 17 March 1955) is a British choreographer and director. Corder trained at the Royal Ballet School and joined the Royal Ballet itself in 1973. References British choreographers British male ballet dancers 1955 births ...

*Betrayed Girl’s Mother: Susan Crow *The Dancer: Chenca Williams *The Ballad Singer: Siobhan Stanley

References

Sources

*Blom, Eric ed. (1954). ''Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians'', 5th edition. St. Martin's Press. *Schueneman, Bruce R. and William Emmett Studwell: ''Minor ballet composers: biographical sketches of sixty-six underappreciated composers'' (Psychology Press, 1997) p.45. {{DEFAULTSORT:Rakes Progress, The Ballets by Ninette de Valois Ballets designed by Rex Whistler 1935 ballet premieres Ballets created for The Royal Ballet Works based on art