1 ▁novel ▁Man on ▁Les ca ut ▁by ▁Abb é ▁Pr év ost . ▁The ▁bal let ▁was ▁first ▁performed ▁by ▁The ▁Royal ▁Bal let ▁in ▁London ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁with ▁Anto in ette ▁S ible y ▁and ▁Anthony ▁Dow ell ▁in ▁the ▁leading ▁roles . ▁It ▁continues ▁to ▁be ▁performed ▁and ▁recogn ised ▁intern ation ally . ▁ ▁Background ▁Kenneth ▁Mac Mill an ▁had ▁been ▁thinking ▁about ▁ch ore ograph ing ▁a ▁bal let ▁about ▁the ▁story ▁of ▁Man on ▁Les ca ut ▁for ▁some ▁time . ▁Three ▁years ▁into ▁his ▁art istic ▁director ship ▁of ▁The ▁Royal ▁Bal let , ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁create ▁a ▁large - scale ▁oper atic ▁bal let ▁that ▁would ▁provide ▁exc iting ▁roles ▁both ▁for ▁the ▁company ' s ▁principal ▁d anc ers ▁and ▁the ▁corps ▁de ▁bal let . ▁ ▁On ▁the ▁last ▁night ▁of ▁the ▁company ' s ▁summer ▁season ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 , ▁Mac Mill an ▁left ▁a ▁copy ▁of ▁Pr év ost ' s ▁novel ▁in ▁Anto in ette ▁S ible y ' s ▁dress ing ▁room , ▁with ▁a ▁note ▁inform ing ▁her ▁that ▁it ▁would ▁" come ▁in ▁hand y ▁for ▁March ▁ 7 , ▁' 7 4 ". ▁As ▁the ▁copy ▁of ▁Man on ▁Les ca ut ▁was ▁in ▁a ▁double ▁volume ▁with ▁the ▁nov ella ▁Car men ▁by ▁Pro s per ▁M ér im ée , ▁S ible y ▁asked ▁Anthony ▁Dow ell ▁to ▁find ▁out ▁which ▁story ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁turned