Charles Mackerras authority on Mozart's operas and those of Sir Arthur Sullivan. His ballet with John Cranko, "Pineapple Poll", is an arrangement of Sullivan music with a story based on one of W. S. Gilbert's "Bab Ballads". The piece premiered in 1951, soon after the expiration of copyright on Sullivan's music, and continues to be a popular light music favourite in English speaking countries. Mackerras later arranged music by Giuseppe Verdi for the ballet "The Lady and the Fool". He also arranged a suite from John Ireland's score for the 1946 film "The Overlanders", after Ireland's death in 1962. He became principal
Joffrey Ballet as chief choreographer. Arpino's 1970 rock ballet "Trinity" was well received; Joffrey revived Kurt Jooss's "The Green Table" in 1967, followed by revivals of Ashton's "Façade", Cranko's "Pineapple Poll", Fokine's "Petrushka" (with Rudolf Nureyev), Nijinsky's "Afternoon of a Faun", also with Nureyev, and Massine's "Le Tricorne", "Le Beau Danube" and "Parade". In 1973 Joffrey asked Twyla Tharp to create her first commissioned ballet, "Deuce Coupe". The company continued as City Center Joffrey Ballet until 1977. From 1977, it performed as the Joffrey Ballet, with a second home established in Los Angeles from (1982-1992). In 1995, the company left New York