Helpmann, Robert
Sir Robert Helpmann CBE (9 April 1909 – 28 September 1986) was an Australian dancer, actor, theatre director and choreographer. In 1926 he joined the touring dance company of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The introduction came via his father, who was on a business trip to Melbourne, where he met Pavlova who was dancing there. One of the many versions of the cause for his decision to change his surname from Helpman to Helpmann, was that Pavlova, a devotee of numerology, suggested that he should change his surname to avoid his name Robert Helpman having 13 letters. The highpoint of Helpmann’s career as a dancer was the Sadler’s Wells Ballet tour of the United States in 1949, with Fonteyn and Helpmann dancing the leading roles in The Sleeping Beauty. The production caused a sensation, which made the names of both the Royal Ballet and its two principals; public and press alike referred to them affectionately as Bobby and Margot.
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Nadia Nerina / Robert Helpmann / Margot Fonteyn / Rudolf Nureyev
Les Sylphides
BBC STUDIO RECORDING, BROADCAST 6 APRIL 1956
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Coppélia (ADAPTED FOR TELEVISION BY MARGARET DALE)
BBC STUDIO RECORDING, BROADCAST 27 OCTOBER 1957
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Giselle (PAS DE DEUX FROM ACT II)
BBC STUDIO RECORDING, RECORDED 2 JUNE 1962
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Philharmonia Orchestra/Robert Irving
London Symphony Orchestra/John Lanchbery
Pro Arte Orchestra/Marcus Dods
Sir Robert Helpmann CBE (9 April 1909 – 28 September 1986) was an Australian dancer, actor, theatre director and choreographer. In 1926 he joined the touring dance company of the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova. The introduction came via his father, who was on a business trip to Melbourne, where he met Pavlova who was dancing there. One of the many versions of the cause for his decision to change his surname from Helpman to Helpmann, was that Pavlova, a devotee of numerology, suggested that he should change his surname to avoid his name Robert Helpman having 13 letters. The highpoint of Helpmann’s career as a dancer was the Sadler’s Wells Ballet tour of the United States in 1949, with Fonteyn and Helpmann dancing the leading roles in The Sleeping Beauty. The production caused a sensation, which made the names of both the Royal Ballet and its two principals; public and press alike referred to them affectionately as Bobby and Margot.