10 March 2019 (Sun), 14:00 World famous Mariinsky Ballet and Opera - established 1783 - Stars of the Stars Classical Ballet Evening of one-act ballets by Michel Fokine: "Petrouchka". "Scheherazade"
Schedule for Evening of one-act ballets by Michel Fokine: "Petrouchka". "Scheherazade" 2022
Conductor: Gavriel Heine Dancer: David Zaleyev
Orchestra: Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra Ballet company: Mariinsky (Kirov) Ballet
Fokine's Petrushka, the tragic tale of a puppet's unrequited love, is set in a bustling fairground.
The gaudy art deco sets and costumes dazzled audiences at its Parisian premiere in 1911, and they are equally fantastic in this new production - the stage looks almost like an animated art exhibition.
The exotic and lavishly decorated Schéhérazade offers a sumptuous visual feast, brimming with an extraordinary theatricality.
The audience will gasp in admiration when the curtain goes up, revealing the décor of Sultan Shahriyar’s palace.
Balancing spectacular dancing with stirring drama, the Mariinsky dancers will deliver a riveting, unforgettable performance.
"Petrouchka"
Credits
Music by Igor Stravinsky Choreography by Michel Fokine (1911)
Libretto, sets and costumes by Alexandre Benois Musical Director: Valery Gergiev Staging by Gary Chryst Revival Designer: Batozhan Dashitsyrenov Lighting design: Vladimir Lukasevich Coach: Igor Petrov
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
Petrouchka, staged for Diaghilev’s Saison russe in 1911, marked a triumph for all of its creators. For composer Igor Stravinsky it was his first yet brilliant attempt to come up with his own production, the story of the clownish Petrouchka, told through an orchestral piece where the grand piano plays the lead part. For Alexandre Benois, artist, librettist and St Petersburg antique enthusiast, it was an opportunity to explore cherished childhood memories of town fairs and circuses.
Choreographer Michel Fokine made the most of his reformist ideas of movement as means of expression, the ‘speaking’ choreography. Vaslav Nijinsky, who gracefully brought all these ideas to life in his interpretation of the lead role, was not only a darling with the audiences. The role somehow foreshadowed his own destiny. The ingredients of Petrouchka’s success include a score without mellow tunes, where the main character’s death is marked by the sound of a tambourine dropped to the floor; Petrouchka’s feet turned toes in, so unlike the traditional ballet feet; and the tragedy of loneliness in a flamboyant crowd at the fair.
This cocktail of Petrouchka ingredients did not only lead to success in Paris but also marked a veritable change of ballet epochs.
World premiere: 13 June 1911, Les Ballets Russes de Serge Diaghilev, Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris The premiere of this production: 6 February 2010, Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg
Running time: 40 minutes
Age category 6+
"Schhrazade"
Credits
Music by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov Scenario by Léon Bakst and Michel Fokine after Arabian Nights fairytales Choreography by Michel Fokine (1910)
Reconstruction by Isabelle Fokine, Andris Liepa Set and costume design by Anna Nezhnaya, Anatoly Nezhny after original sketches: Léon Bakst
SYNOPSIS
Shahryar is angry because his brother Shakhezman has suggested that his wives are unfaithful to him. To test the harem Shahryar goes off on a hunting expedition. Almost as soon as the court has departed the wives adorn themselves in jewels and bribe the Chief Eunuch to open the three doors which lead to the quarters where the male slaves live. Two doors are opened and the Chief Eunuch is about to leave when Zobeide, Shahryar’s favourite wife, demands that the third door also is opened.
The Eunuch warns her against this, but with further bribes and pleas, she insists. The door is opened and the Golden Slave leaps through it to Zobeide’s side. They fall entwined upon the divan.
Food is brought in to musical accompaniment. Dancing begins, led by the Golden Slave, and Zobeide joins it. But Shahryar has returned unannounced and bursts in upon the orgy. Slaughter follows and the revellers are indiscriminately cut down. Shahryar kills Zobeide’s lover with his own hands. Only Zobeide remains. Preferring death to dishonour she faces the Shah and then, with a dagger she grabs from him, she takes her own life.
ABOUT THE PRODUCTION
In 1910, Shéhérazade was a great success in Paris. The fashionistas of the time, having just shouted "bravo" at Les saisons russes premiere, hurried to put on serouals and turbans à la Eastern style which were created for the production by artist Léon Bakst. Fabric manufacturers launched the production of linens with ornaments in blue and orange colours, while jewellers sold gaudy trinkets, which were reminiscent of the shiny things worn by the artists on stage, with unprecedented success. Sergei Diaghilev was hoping to make a splash with a Paris performance of the ballet written after One Thousand and One Nights with the fabulous music by Rimsky-Korsakov and oriental exotics.
Fokine sought to show all actions and feelings through poses and movements in his choreography. Ida Rubinstein drove the public crazy with her regal beauty, Vaslav Nijinsky – with animal-like flexibility of his half-naked body while soaring over the stage. Such passionate orgies as in Shéhérazade had never been seen by the Parisian ballet-goers before. And while modern theatre-goers would unlikely be stunned by the scenes of passionate embraces and bloody massacre at the harem, juicy musical, artistic and choreographic elements of Shéhérazade can still fire the imagination of a sensitive spectator.
World premiere: 4 June 1910, Les Ballets Russes de Serge de Diaghilev, Théâtre de l´Opéra, Paris Premiere at the Mariinsky Theatre: 26 May 1994
Running time 45 minutes
Age category 6+
Schedule for Evening of one-act ballets by Michel Fokine: "Petrouchka". "Scheherazade" 2022
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