Monday’s Child is Fair of Face

For many audiences today, the nursery rhyme Monday’s Child is most familiar through the line “Wednesday’s Child is full of woe,” revived in popular culture by the hit Netflix series Wednesday. But for lovers of ballet—especially the inventive works of Sir Frederick Ashton—the centuries-old poem evokes something quite different: Ashton’s vibrant and esoteric Jazz Calendar.

Opening December 19 at the Sarasota Opera House, The Sarasota Ballet’s Program 3 – Masters of Movement places Jazz Calendar alongside George Balanchine’s sparkling Divertimento No. 15 and the Company Premiere of his Mozartiana. Together the program showcases two of the 20th century’s choreographic giants whose artistry continues to impact and influence the audiences and dancers of today.

Ensuring that Jazz Calendar comes to life with all of Ashton’s signature wit, musicality, and beautiful choreography is Assistant Director Margaret Barbieri. “The ballet is just great fun, for both the dancers and audiences alike!” enthused Barbieri. “It’s also so unusual and quirky! Not just because it’s set to the expressive jazz music of Sir Richard Rodney Bennett, but also because of Derek Jarman’s bold, colorful, and eclectic designs.” Jarman, a British filmmaker, was at the time just a young painter - and with little information outside of a recording of the music created a series of designs that embodied the spirit of the swinging 60’s in London and created a distinctive aesthetic that remains strikingly fresh.

While not performed in full, in June of 2024 at London’s Royal Opera House The Sarasota Ballet captivated audiences with the Friday’s Child pas deux from Jazz Calendar. Ashton originally created the duet for Rudolf Nureyev and Dame Antoinette Sibley - dance critic Alexander Simpkins wrote of Sarasota’s performance “the pas de deux that unfolded to Richard Rodney Bennett’s bluesy score was a mesmerizing and seamless blend of dance styles: credit to the dancers and Ashton for bringing it off with such finesse.”

As new and returning dancers experience the jazzy and somewhat psychedelic ballet, ever present is the Company’s dedication to presenting Ashton’s works with authenticity and heart.

Audiences can experience this lively, colorful gem December 19 – 20 at the Sarasota Opera House. Tickets start at $35 and are available at The Sarasota Ballet's Official Website.