The beginnings of the ENO go back to 1898 when Lilian Baylis gave a series of opera concerts at the Old Vic theatre. About ten years later she started a theatre company there. She put on Shakespeare's plays in a shortened form. She added a small group of dancers to the company. The Sadler's Wells Theatre opened, and the company were called the Vic-Wells Opera Company. The dancers later separated from Vic-Wells and became the Royal Ballet.