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After the Romantic era, ballet was replaced by opera as the
fashionable entertainment, and singer Jenny Lind became the new
star. Ballet found a home in the music
halls. At the
Alhambra and Empire theatres, where ballet became an important
part of the programme, Italian ballerinas appeared as guest performers.
Male dancers did not feature on the stage and male roles were
performed by women dressed as men. This was known as appearing
en travestie.
By the end of the 19th century, ballet was a popular draw at
the rival Alhambra and Empire Theatres which stood on adjoining
sides of Leicester Square. These were full-scale ballets, and
both theatres spent a great deal of money on bringing in famous
dancers from abroad. Some of the ballets had topical and contemporary
themes. Our Crown was choreographed for King Edward’s
coronation and others had light-hearted themes such as Seaside
and High Jinks.
At the Empire, the ballets were overseen by the designer Wilhelm.
Wilhelm also devised many of the story lines for his shows and
was concerned that all the individual elements of a production
were brought together in a stylistic whole.
The great star at the Empire was the Danish-born Adeline
Genée. After Genée left the Empire she was succeeded
by the distinguished Russian dancer Lydia Kyasht. In turn she
was succeeded by Phyllis Bedells, the first English ballet dancer
of the 20th century to become a star at a major London theatre.
Ballet at the Empire and Alhambra declined during World War 1,
and both theatres were eventually demolished. The last dancers
to appear at the Empire were Fred Astaire and his sister Adèle.
Listen to the music from the ballet Fidelia composed
by G. Jacobi 1893:
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Introduction
Adeline Genée
