Ballet
A Month in the Country
Ashton took a Turgenev play about a bored household and a new tutor who stirs everything up, and turned it into one beautifully observed act. It is all set to early Chopin, arranged by John Lanchbery, and it is as much about glances and gestures as big steps. If you like your drama subtle and your dancing refined, this one rewards paying attention.
Fast facts
- Composer
- Frederic Chopin (arranged by John Lanchbery)
- Choreographer
- Frederick Ashton
- Premiere
- 1976, The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, London
- Structure
- One act
- Running time
- approx 40 minutes
The story
Based on Turgenev's play, the ballet is set in a Russian country estate where the arrival of a young tutor, Beliaev, disrupts the household. The married Natalia Petrovna, her young ward Vera, and a maid all fall for him, and the tangle of attractions unsettles everyone before he quietly departs. It is an intimate drama of longing and social propriety told through refined, character-driven dancing.
What A Month in the Country is famous for
- Being adapted from Turgenev's play
- Ashton's subtle, character-rich choreography
- Its score of early Chopin arranged by John Lanchbery
- The role of Natalia Petrovna
Companies that perform A Month in the Country
A Month in the Country is in the repertoire of companies including The Royal Ballet.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is A Month in the Country based on?
Ivan Turgenev's play of the same name, about the upheaval a young tutor causes in a Russian country household.
What music is it set to?
Early works by Frederic Chopin, arranged and orchestrated for the ballet by John Lanchbery.
Who created it and when?
Frederick Ashton choreographed it for The Royal Ballet, and it premiered in 1976 at Covent Garden.
Who composed A Month in the Country?
A Month in the Country was composed by Frederic Chopin (arranged by John Lanchbery).
How long is A Month in the Country?
A Month in the Country runs approx 40 minutes.