''Checkmate'' is a one act ballet created by the choreographer

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 Ru ...

and composer

Arthur Bliss Sir Arthur Edward Drummond Bliss (2 August 189127 March 1975) was an English composer and conductor. Bliss's musical training was cut short by the First World War, in which he served with distinction in the army. In the post-war years he qu ...

. The idea for the ballet was proposed by Bliss, and subsequently produced by de Valois for the

Vic-Wells 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 ...

. It was first performed on 15 June 1937 at the

Théâtre des Champs-Élysées The Théâtre des Champs-Élysées () is an entertainment venue standing at 15 avenue Montaigne in Paris. It is situated near Avenue des Champs-Élysées, from which it takes its name. Its eponymous main hall may seat up to 1,905 people, while ...

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. Si ...

. ''Checkmate'' is widely regarded as de Valois' signature ballet and a cornerstone of the British ballet repertoire, being performed regularly by 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 ...

and

Birmingham Royal Ballet Birmingham Royal Ballet (BRB) is one of the five major ballet companies of the United Kingdom, alongside The Royal Ballet, the English National Ballet, Northern Ballet and Scottish Ballet. Founded as the Sadler's Wells Theatre Ballet, the company ...

Overview

After

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was List of wars and anthropogenic disasters by death toll, one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, ...

, Bliss developed an interest in ballet, after seeing the

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. ...

Sergei Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪˈrɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), usually referred to outside Russia as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, pa ...

in London. Bliss composed ''Checkmate'' for the Vic-Wells Ballet (later the Sadler's Wells Ballet), who produced the first performance at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in 1937.

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 ...

conducted the

Orchestre Lamoureux The Orchestre Lamoureux () officially known as the Société des Nouveaux-Concerts and also known as the Concerts Lamoureux) is an orchestral concert society which once gave weekly concerts by its own orchestra, founded in Paris by Charles Lamoureu ...

, and the premiere dancers included the following: * June Brae (Black Queen) * Harold Turner (Red Knight) *

Michael Somes Michael George Somes CBE (28 September 191718 November 1994), was an English ballet dancer. He was a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, London, and the frequent partner of Margot Fonteyn. Early years Somes was born in Horsley, Gloucester ...

(Black Knight) *

Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the opposit ...

(Death) *

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 ( ...

(Red King) *

Pamela May Pamela May OBE (30 May 1917 – 6 June 2005) was a Trinidad-born British dancer and teacher of classical ballet. Most noted as one of the earliest members of The Royal Ballet, she was regarded as a versatile dancer; dancing all the established 1 ...

(Red Queen) *

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 ...

(leader of the Black Pawns) *

Annabel Farjeon Eve Annabel Farjeon (19 March 1919 – 8 February 2004) was a British ballerina and author. She was born on 19 March 1919, in Bucklebury, Berkshire, the daughter of the critic Herbert Farjeon and the artist Joan Farjeon. She began learning balle ...

(a pawn) The UK premiere of ''Checkmate'' was on 5 October 1937 at Sadler's Wells. The music received its first radio broadcast performance on 15 October 1937, over the BBC.

Sections

* Prologue—The Players: ''Moderato maestoso'' * Dances of the Red Pawns: ''Allegro spirito scherzando'' * Dance of the Four Knights: ''Allegro moderato sempre robustamente'' * Entry of the Black Queen: ''L'istesso tempo'' * The Red Knight's Mazurka: ''Moderato giojosamente'' * Ceremony of the Red Bishops: ''Largamente (misticamente)'' * Entry of the Red Castles: ''Allegro molto deciso'' * Entry of the Red King and Queen: ''Grave'' * The Attack: ''Allegro impetuoso e brillante'' * The Duel: ''Maestoso moderato e molto appassionato'' * The Black Queen Dances: ''Allegretto dispettoso'' * Finale—Checkmate: ''Andante poco sostenuto—allegro vivace e feroce''

Synopsis

The premise of the ballet is that the chess pieces become animated and act out human emotions. The main conflict of the story concerns the Red Knight's love for the Black Queen. In the Prologue, two chess players are shown, ready to do battle. The player in gold represents Love and chooses the red side. The player in black represents Death and takes the black side. The ballet proper begins with the Red Pawns assembling on the chessboard. The Red Knights arrive on the scene, afterwards joined by the Black Knights. The Black Knights prostrate themselves at the entry of the Black Queen, who fills them with fear. The Black Queen makes advances to the Red Knight and tosses him a rose, and the Red Knight becomes infatuated with the Black Queen. The Red King and Red Queen arrive, with the old Red King requiring assistance. An initial "game" between the two sides finishes as the Black Queen has the Red King in a "check" position. This game leads to a duel between the Red Knight and the Black Queen, where the Red Knight is victorious over the Black Queen. However, he cannot bring himself to kill her because of his love for her. In one moment, he turns his back and recalls the rose from the Black Queen. The Black Queen takes advantage and fatally stabs the Red Knight. The funeral cortège for the Red Knight is described as "Death leading, Love at the end of the procession". The Black Queen then turns on the Red King, and the Black forces surround him. The Red King has one last moment of recalling his youth before the Black Queen stabs him in the back with a spear, in the final "checkmate".

Recordings

* VAI DVD 4379: Margaret Barbieri (Black Queen), David Ashmole (Red Knight), David Bintley (Red King), Sherilyn Kennedy (Red Queen), Michael Corder, Roland Price, Nicholas Millington (knights), Dancers of the Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet, Sadler's Wells Royal Ballet Orchestra, Barry Wordsworth, conductor (complete video of ballet) * World Record Club T52:

The Sinfonia of London Sinfonia of London is a session orchestra based in London, England, and conducted by John Wilson. The current orchestra is the third of three distinct ensembles of this name. The original Sinfonia of London was founded in 1955 by Gordon Walker ...

, conducted by the composer (suite) * ASV CD WLS 255: Royal Ballet Sinfonia; Barry Wordsworth, conductor (complete ballet) * Naxos 8.557641:

Royal Scottish National Orchestra The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) ( gd, Orcastra Nàiseanta Rìoghail na h-Alba) is a British orchestra, based in Glasgow, Scotland. It is one of the five national performing arts companies of Scotland. Throughout its history, the O ...

; David Lloyd-Jones, conductor (complete ballet) * BBC Music Magazine Vol. 7 no. 8 (BBC MM80):

BBC Symphony Orchestra The BBC Symphony Orchestra (BBC SO) is a British orchestra based in London. Founded in 1930, it was the first permanent salaried orchestra in London, and is the only one of the city's five major symphony orchestras not to be self-governing. T ...

; Norman Del Mar, conductor (suite: nos. 1-6 and finale) * English Northern Philharmonia: David Lloyd-Jones, conductor. Hyperion. (Excerpts)

References

External links

Naxos entry on Lloyd-Jones recording, with link to notes on the music
{{Authority control Ballets by Arthur Bliss Ballets by Ninette de Valois 1937 ballet premieres Chess in theatre