Springbett, Berta Lynn (Seymour)

  • From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: See full biography at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Seymour
  • Wiki Biography:
    • Lynn Seymour CBE (born Berta Lynn Springbett; 8 March 1939 – 7 March 2023) was a Canadian-born ballerina, mostly associated with the Royal Ballet in London. She was a muse of choreographer Kenneth MacMillan, creating lead roles in Romeo and Juliet, The Invitation, Concerto, Anastasia and Mayerling, among others. She originated lead roles for several ballets by Frederick Ashton, including The Two Pigeons, Five Brahms Waltzes in the Manner of Isadora Duncan and A Month in the Country. She also guested with various ballet companies throughout her life.
    • Seymour was born in Wainwright, Alberta, as Berta Lynn Springbett, and studied ballet in Vancouver, British Columbia.
    • The title role in MacMillan’s Romeo and Juliet, which was created for Seymour in 1965 (although danced by Margot Fonteyn at the première) established her as the leading dance-actress of her generation. Her rebellious and sensual portrayal of the Shakespearean heroine was totally spontaneous and yet influenced by her admiration for Franco Zeffirelli’s 1960 Old Vic production of the play with Judi Dench.
    • Seymour was prima ballerina at the Berlin Opera Ballet (1966–1969) under MacMillan’s direction, where she danced the first performance of his Concerto, whose second movement was inspired by her magnetic plasticity, and created the turbulent role of Anna Anderson in the one-act version of Anastasia (1967).
  • Fourth Great Granddaughter of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=4699
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