British choreographer (1986–2021)
Liam Scarlett (8 April 1986 – 16 April 2021) was a British
choreographer who was an artist in residence with
The Royal Ballet and artistic associate with
Queensland Ballet .
[1] He also choreographed new works for
Ballet Black ,
Miami City Ballet ,
Norwegian National Ballet , the
BalletBoyz ,
English National Ballet ,
San Francisco Ballet ,
American Ballet Theatre ,
Royal New Zealand Ballet ,
Atlanta Ballet ,
Polish National Ballet , and the
Royal Ballet School .
Early life
Scarlett was born on 8 April 1986 in
Ipswich , and started dancing aged four.
[2]
[3] He trained at the Linda Shipton School of Dancing in Ipswich, followed by the
Royal Ballet Lower School , which he entered at the age of eight,
[4] and then the Upper School.
[5]
Choreographer
His first work for the main stage at the
Royal Opera House in
Covent Garden was Asphodel Meadows in 2010. It was a work for 20 dancers set to
Poulenc 's
Concerto for Two Pianos .
[6] In 2008, the work was commissioned by
The Royal Ballet 's then director,
Monica Mason , who was eager to develop his choreographic abilities.
[4]
Scarlett is the youngest choreographer to have had a full-length ballet commissioned by the Royal Ballet.
[7]
Edward Villella , the then director of
Miami City Ballet , saw the dress rehearsal and commissioned Scarlett there and then. Viscera' s critically acclaimed premiere took place in January 2012.
[6] As well as further work for the Royal Ballet and Miami City Ballet, Scarlett created new works for the
Norwegian National Ballet , the
BalletBoyz ,
English National Ballet , the
San Francisco Ballet ,
American Ballet Theatre ,
[6] and the
Polish National Ballet .
[8]
In November 2012, aged 26, Scarlett gave up his dancing career as a first artist with
The Royal Ballet , to become their first artist in residence, a post created especially for him by the Ballet's director,
Kevin O'Hare .
[3]
[5]
On 29 April 2014, Scarlett's Hummingbird , inspired by
Philip Glass 's
Tirol Concerto for Piano and Orchestra premiered at the San Francisco Ballet.
[4] In its review,
The Arts Desk website's critic thought that it stood "above offerings from
Wheeldon ,
Morris and
Liang ," and that Scarlett created "a fabulous, compelling visual and emotional world ... stirring stuff, and beautiful."
[9]
In August 2019, he was suspended by the Royal Ballet amid allegations of sexual misconduct against his students.
[10] An investigation found no evidence to corroborate the allegations and no criminal charges were brought against him.
[11] In March, the Royal Opera House announced Scarlett's position with the Royal Ballet had ended because he had decided to leave.
[12] Even after having been cleared the choreographer left the company nevertheless.
[13]
Personal life and death
At the time of his death, Scarlett was in a relationship with dancer Fernando Duarte.
[14]
Scarlett died in his hometown of Ipswich on 16 April 2021, aged 35.
[2]
[15]
[16] No cause of death was given.
[17] However, his colleagues
Dmitri Tcherniakov and
Alexei Ratmansky called his death a
suicide and blamed
cancel culture .
[18] A day before his death, the
Royal Danish Theatre had cancelled
[19] his Frankenstein show over allegations of unacceptable behaviour in 2018 and 2019.
[15]
[20] An inquest later determined suicide.
[21]
Works
All for
The Royal Ballet , unless otherwise noted:
Few Things Are (2005)
[22]
Despite (2006)
Vayamos al Diablo (2006)
Hinterland (2006) (
Ballet Black )
Indigo Children (2007) (Ballet Black)
Somente (2007/8)
Of Mozart (2008)
Consolations and Liebestraum (2009)
Asphodel Meadows (2010)
[23]
Viscera (2012) (
Miami City Ballet )
Sweet Violets (2012)
Diana and Acteon in Metamorphosis: Titian (2012)
[24]
Euphotic (2013) (Miami City Ballet)
Hansel and Gretel (2013)
[25]
Promenade Sentimentale (2013) (
K-Ballet )
Serpent (2013) (
BalletBoyz : The Talent)
[26]
Firebird (2013) (
Norwegian National Ballet )
Vespertine (2013) (Norwegian National Ballet)
The Age of Anxiety (2014)
[27]
Hummingbird (2014) (
San Francisco Ballet )
No Man's Land (2014) (English National Ballet)
[28]
Acheron (2014) (
New York City Ballet )
With a Chance of Rain (2014) (American Ballet Theatre)
[29]
A Midsummer Night's Dream (2015) (Royal New Zealand Ballet and Queensland Ballet)
Carmen (2015) (Norwegian National Ballet)
[30]
Frankenstein (2016)
[31]
Symphonic Dances (2017)
[32]
Queen of Spades (2018) (
Royal Danish Ballet )
[33]
Swan Lake (2018)
[34]
Chopin’s Concerto in E minor (2018) (
Polish National Ballet )
[35]
Dangerous Liaisons (2019) (
Queensland Ballet and
Texas Ballet Theater )
Die Toteninsel (2019) (San Francisco Ballet)
[36]
Awards
Kenneth MacMillan Choreographic Award (2001)
Ursula Moreton Choreographic Award
[37] (2003 and 2004)
De Valois Trust Fund Choreographers' Award (2005)
[38]
References
^
"Liam Scarlett – Artistic Associate" . Queensland Ballet . Queensland Ballet. Archived from
the original on 8 March 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2018 .
^
a
b Sulcas, Roslyn (17 April 2021).
"Liam Scarlett, Acclaimed British Choreographer, Dies at 35" .
The New York Times . Retrieved 18 April 2021 .
^
a
b Duchen, Jessica (11 December 2012).
"Liam Scarlett: Dance's hottest property" .
The Independent .
Archived from the original on 14 June 2022. Retrieved 28 August 2014 .
^
a
b
c Hunt, Mary Ellen (28 April 2014).
"Liam Scarlett's smooth leap from corps to choreography" .
San Francisco Chronicle . Retrieved 31 August 2014 .
^
a
b
"Liam Scarlett, Choreographer" .
Royal Opera House . Retrieved 24 August 2014 .
^
a
b
c Sulcas, Roslyn (24 January 2014).
"Gestures of a Hot Hand | Liam Scarlett Creates a Work for City Ballet" . The New York Times . Retrieved 18 April 2021 .
^
"2017 Repertory Season: Frankenstein: San Francisco Ballet" . sfballet.org. Archived from
the original on 28 August 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2016 .
^
"Notre Chopin" . Teatr Wielki Opera Narodowa . Retrieved 17 April 2021 .
^ Weibye, Hanna (24 January 2014).
"theartsdesk in Paris: San Francisco Ballet 2" .
The Arts Desk . Retrieved 31 August 2014 .
^
"Choreographer Scarlett suspended by Royal Ballet" . BBC News. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020 .
^
"Royal Ballet cuts ties with Liam Scarlett after sexual misconduct claims" . The Guardian . 23 March 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020 .
^
"Choreographer Liam Scarlett to leave Royal Ballet" . BBC News. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020 .
^
"Liam Scarlett: Former Royal Ballet choreographer dies at 35" . bbc.com . 18 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Jays, David (19 April 2021).
"Liam Scarlett obituary" . theguardian.com . Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^
a
b Crossland, David; Burgess, Kaya (17 April 2021).
"British ballet supremo Liam Scarlett found dead" . The Times . Retrieved 18 April 2021 .
^
"Internationally renowned choreographer Liam Scarlett dies aged 35" . Sky News . 17 April 2021. Retrieved 17 April 2021 .
^ Badshah, Nadeem (17 April 2021).
"Former Royal Ballet choreographer Liam Scarlett dies aged 35" .
The Guardian . Retrieved 17 April 2021 .
^ Авдеева, Екатерина (18 April 2021).
"Обвиненный в харассменте британский хореограф Лиам Скарлетт умер в возрасте 35 лет" [British choreographer Liam Scarlett, accused of harassment, dies at 35].
Teatr [
ru ] (in Russian). Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^
"Royal Danish Theater" . Press Release . 16 April 2021.
^
"Liam Scarlett: Former Royal Ballet choreographer dies at 35" . BBC News. 17 April 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2021 .
^
"Choreographer Liam Scarlett took own life after misconduct claims" . BBC News . 12 November 2021.
^
"Few Things Are" . Royal Opera House Collection Online . rohcollections.org.uk. Retrieved 17 April 2021 .
^
"Asphodel Meadows - Dance/Opera - Running Time: 2h50 - Closing: 15/05/2010" . officiallondontheatre.com . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^
"Choreographers, composers and dancers" . nationalgallery.org . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Jennings, Luke (12 May 2013).
"Hansel and Gretel – review" . theguardian.com . Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^ Jennings, Luke (17 March 2013).
"BalletBoyz: the Talent 2013 – review - Sadler's Wells, London" . theguardian.com . Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^ Parry, Jann (10 November 2014).
"Reviews: Royal Ballet – Ceremony of Innocence, The Age of Anxiety, Aeternum – London" . dancetabs.com . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ May, Emily (21 September 2018).
"Review: English National Ballet's Lest We Forget – "compelling, visually, emotionally & intellectually arresting" " . thewonderfulworldofdance.com . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^
"With a Chance of Rain - Choreography by Liam Scarlett" . abt.org - American Ballet Theatre . 22 October 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^
"The Norwegian National Ballet, Season 2014/15" . danzaballet.com . 10 September 2014. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Mackrell, Judith (5 May 2016).
"Royal Ballet: Frankenstein review – Steven McRae reanimates Shelley's tragic demon" . theguardian.com . Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^
"Symphonic Dances - Dance/Opera -- Closing: 31/05/2017" . officiallondontheatre.com . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Marriott, Bruce (15 May 2018).
"Reviews: Royal Danish Ballet – The Queen of Spades – Copenhagen" . dancetabs.com . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Mackrell, Judith (18 May 2018).
"Swan Lake review – the Royal Ballet's spellbinder leaves you weeping" . theguardian.com/ . Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^
"Concerto in E minor A ballet in one act by Liam Scarlett" . teatrwielki.pl . 19 April 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^ Bauer, Claudia (29 March 2019).
"San Francisco Ballet – Die Toteninsel (premiere), Rodeo: Four Dance Episodes, Björk Ballet" . dancetabs.com . Retrieved 19 April 2021 .
^
"Royal Ballet School Special Collections" . Archives Hub . The Ursula Moreton Collection. Retrieved 20 April 2021 .
^ Colombus, Katie.
"The rise and rise of Liam Scarlett: En pointe" .
The Stage . Retrieved 28 August 2014 .
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