The first new ballet was Helpmann's pompous Adam Zero on April 10,1946, and then just two weeks later, on April 24, joy of joys, surprise of surprises, Ashton's Symphonic Variations.

Then on April 10 Royal Ballet itself--it was, of course, still known as Sadler's Wells Ballet and had only been resident at Covent Garden since February--gave its first world premiere at the Royal Opera House of Robert Helpmann's monumentally boring dance drama-epic, Adam Zero, starring himself and the aforementioned Miss Brae, who was making a busily triumphant return to the stage after a five-year absence.