A Month in the Country
Scene from a 1930 theatrical production of A Month in the Country, inspired by Ivan Turgenev’s original play. Vandamm Studio.
QUICK F A C T S
- ✦ A Month in the Country premiered on February 12, 1976, at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.
✦ Choreographed by Frederick Ashton.
✦ Music by Frédéric Chopin, arranged and orchestrated by John Lanchbery.
✦ Based on the play by Ivan Turgenev.
✦ The original cast featured Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell in the leading roles.
Zenaida Yanowsky as Natalia and Rupert Pennefather as Beliaev in A Month in the Country, Royal Ballet,
photo: Scillystuff, 2008. Commons
S U M M A R Y
Frederick Ashton’s ballet A Month in the Country was inspired by a play by Ivan Turgenev and tells the story of a young tutor whose arrival disrupts the life of a wealthy Russian family. Natalia, a woman trapped in a quiet but unhappy marriage, becomes deeply infatuated with the handsome young tutor, Beliaev. As emotions grow more complicated, tensions begin to rise within the household.
Atmospheric Victorian imagery echoing the themes of desire and emotional restraint in A Month in the Country.
Misty countryside scenery echoing the reflective and bittersweet atmosphere of A Month in the Country.
The ballet follows a web of unreturned feelings, jealousy, and emotional confusion. Natalia’s growing obsession affects those around her, especially her young ward Vera, who also develops feelings for Beliaev. Through emotional dance duets and subtle storytelling, the ballet explores loneliness, desire, and the pain of loving someone who cannot return those feelings. The story ends on a bittersweet note as the characters are forced to accept the emotional consequences of their choices.
Ashton had dreamed of creating the ballet since the 1930s but did not fully develop the idea until the 1970s, when philosopher Isaiah Berlin suggested using the music of Frédéric Chopin. The ballet premiered in 1976 at Royal Opera House with The Royal Ballet. It was later filmed for television in 1978 and remains one of Ashton’s most admired dramatic ballets.
Scene from a 1909 Moscow Art Theatre production of A Month in the Country featuring Konstantin Stanislavski and Olga Knipper
E N C O R E
✦ On Today’s Stage — A Month in the Country is performed less frequently than many major story ballets, but it remains highly respected among companies and dancers interested in emotionally subtle dramatic works.
✦ Iconic Interpreters — Lynn Seymour and Anthony Dowell became closely associated with the original production, helping define the ballet’s intimate emotional style and restrained storytelling.
✦ Legacy — Frederick Ashton created one of ballet’s most delicate psychological dramas with A Month in the Country, blending the music of Frédéric Chopin with quiet emotional realism instead of large-scale spectacle.