𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐭….

These days in October 1979, Freddie is fiercely rehearsing with the Royal Ballet

Wayne Eagling’s first meeting with Freddie..

In August 1979, Royal Ballet principle Wayne Eagling went looking for a particularly limber star to join their ranks for a charity gala performance. After Kate Bush turned them down, Eagling turned his attention to Freddie Mercury.

Though his initial reaction was less than favorable (“I thought they were mad!”), he eventually warmed to the idea after speaking to the head of EMI, Sir Joseph Lockwood, who also happened to be the chairman of the Royal Ballet board of governors. “Freddie had a general interest in the ballet, but Lockwood really got him fired up,” said Queen manager John Reid in The Great Pretender. “He was fascinated by the scale. It was epic. And everything about Freddie’s performance was epic.” It was a perfect match.

Wayne said, “It was a wonderful first meeting Freddie turned up wearing tights and ballet shoes. We all took one look at him and nearly fainted. I remember we were in the middle of rehearsing Bohemian Rhapsody, when in walked the choreographer Sir Frederick Ashton.”

He asked me what I was doing , then suddenly scowled at Freddie and demanded in a strangled voice

“ AND WHO IS HE “

10 December 1977, Queen performed @ The Tarrant County Convention Center Arena, Ft. Worth, Texas ‘News of The World’ Tour

This gig in Fort Worth was one of the shows Bob Harris once said he and his crew had intended to film for his proposed documentary. Footage of the stage setup was seen in the “American Dream” documentary on the News Of The World box set released in 2017 (as well as on the similar BBC documentary “Rock The World” the same year).

The black and white photos were taken by (and copyrighted to) Curtis Smith.