<p>Here are facts (some fun, others random) on the creation of the piece and a glimpse into the history of Mark Morris' seminal masterwork. </p> <p><strong>THE CREATIVE TIMELINE</strong><br/> <strong>1631</strong> - John Milton publishes "L'Allegro" and "Il Penseroso", paired poems which depict opposing but complementary states of mind – L’Allegro is the active or cheerful mind, Il Penseroso is the melancholic or contemplative mind.<br/> <strong>1740</strong> - George Frideric Handel and his librettist Charles Jennens adapt these poems to create a dialogue between them and add a third part, "Il Moderato," representing the voice of moderation and reason.<br/> <strong>1816</strong> - William Blake creates 12 watercolors to illustrate Milton's poems. Each design is accompanied by a separate inscribed sheet on which Blake wrote, in his own hand, a brief title and quotations of the lines illustrated, to which Blake added his own comments on the motifs pictured.<br/> <strong>1988</strong> - Mark Morris, inspired by and drawing upon each of his predecessors, created L’Allegro for 24 dancers, orchestra, chorus and vocal soloists – the most ambitious piece he had yet made.</p> 2 true L'Allegro at 20 l-allegro-at-20