{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}} {{Italic title}} {{Infobox Ballet |name = Birthday Offering |image = |image_size = |caption = |choreographer = Frederick Ashton |composer = Alexander Glazunov, arranged by Robert Irving |based_on = |premiere = 5 May 1956 |place = Royal Opera House, London |ballet_company = Sadler's Wells Ballet |characters = |set designer = |setting = |created for = |genre = |type = }}
'''''Birthday Offering''''' is a pièce d'occasion in one scene choreographed by Frederick Ashton to music by Alexander Glazunov, arranged by Robert Irving.<ref name="roh">{{cite web|url=http://www.roh.org.uk/productions/birthday-offering-by-frederick-ashton|title=Birthday Offering – Productions – Royal Opera House|publisher=roh.org.uk|accessdate=2014-07-26}}</ref> The ballet was created in 1956, to celebrate the Royal Ballet's 25th anniversary. The first performance took place on 5 May 1956 at the Royal Opera House, London.
==Original cast== {{colbegin|colwidth=30em}} * Margot Fonteyn * Beryl Grey * Violetta Elvin * Nadia Nerina * Rowena Jackson * Svetlana Beriosova * Elaine Fifield * Michael Somes * Alexander Grant * Brian Shaw * Philip Chatfield * David Blair * Desmond Doyle * Bryan Ashbridge {{colend}}
<small>Source:<ref name="ashtonarchive">{{cite web |title=Frederick Ashton and His Ballets – 1956 |url=https://guglika.lt/en/frederick-ashton-and-his-ballets-1956.html |archive-url= |archive-date= |accessdate=2018-01-31 |publisher=}}</ref></small>
==Order of numbers== In a sumptuous setting, seven couples make a grand entrance, then the women perform a series of seven solo variations. The men dance a bravura mazurka, the principal couple performs an elegant ''pas de deux'', and the ballet ends with a final waltz for the entire ensemble.<ref>Matthew Naughtin, ''Ballet Music'', 2014, p. 165.</ref>
# Overture: "L'Eté" from ''The Seasons'', Op. 67 # Valse de concert No. 1, Op. 47 # Pas d'action from ''Scènes de ballet'', Op. 52, and Coda from ''Ruses d'amour'', Op. 61 # 1st variation: "Marionettes" from ''Scènes de ballet'' # 2nd variation: "La Givre" from ''The Seasons'' # 3rd variation: "La Glace" from ''The Seasons'' # 4th variation: "La Grêle" from ''The Seasons'' # 5th variation: "La Neige" from ''The Seasons'' # 6th variation: "L'Eté" from ''The Seasons'' # 7th variation: from ''Ruses d'amour'' # Mazurka, Op. 25 No. 3, (orchestrated by Robert Irving) # Pas de deux; "Grand pas des fiancées" from ''Ruses d'amour'' # Finale: Valse de concert No. 1, reprise
==References== '''Notes''' {{reflist}}
'''Sources''' * Naughtin, Matthew (2014). ''Ballet Music''. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield. {{ISBN|978-0-8108-8659-9}}
{{Frederick Ashton}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Birthday Offering}} Category:Ballets by Frederick Ashton Category:Ballets to the music of Alexander Glazunov Category:1956 ballets Category:Ballets created for The Royal Ballet