Kenneth MacMillan

Kenneth MacMillan was one of the most influential and innovative ballet choreographers of the 20th century. He started his career as a dancer with the Sadler's Wells Ballet (later the Royal Ballet) and became its artistic director in 1970. He created many ballets that explored complex psychological and social themes, such as Romeo and Juliet, Manon, Mayerling, and The Judas Tree. He also worked with other ballet companies around the world, such as the Stuttgart Ballet, the American Ballet Theatre, and the Houston Ballet. He was known for his musicality, his dramatic sense, and his collaboration with dancers, composers, and designers. He was knighted in 1983 for his services to ballet. He died of a heart attack in 1992 while backstage at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, during a performance of his ballet Mayerling.