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2700fstreet · 6 years

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BALLET / 2018-2019

LE CORSAIRE

STUDENT GUIDE

WORKING REHEARSAL

MARIINSKY BALLET

With the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra Original Choreography by Marius Petipa Reconstructed choreography (1987) by Pyotr Gusev Music by Adolphe Adan, Cesare Pugni, Léo Delibes, Riccardo Drigo and Pyotr Oldenburgsky Libretto by Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Joseph Mazilier and edited by Yuri Slonimsky and Pyotr Gusev

School Show: April 9

Teacher and Parent Guide: Le Corsaire

Before the curtain rises, a little history…

Whether or not you’ve touched a tutu or performed a plié, you’ve surely heard of Marius Petipa’s (pronounced PET-ee-pahs) ballets. Does Swan Lake ring any bells? What about Sleeping Beauty? And that holiday classic, The Nutcracker! But here’s the oddest thing: Petipa—born in France—is considered the “Father of Russian Ballet.” How’d that happen?

When Petipa arrived in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1847, he was considered just an “okay” dancer. Decades later, however, he had successfully danced his way up the ladder at the Russian Imperial Theatre. To celebrate this famous choreographer, the Mariinsky Ballet performs Le Corsaire (COUR-sair, The Pirate). Set on an island in Greece, this ballet is filled with exotic characters, a shipwreck, treachery, romance, betrayal, and a boatload of pirates!

About that pirate ballet…

The story of Le Corsaire was loosely adapted from Lord Byron’s poem of the same name. The first production was choreographed by Joseph Mazilier in 1856, but Mariinsky’s version is a reconstruction of Marius Petipa’s choreographic revival about 10 years later.

Now here’s the interesting part: Petipa didn’t just choreograph one production of Le Corsaire. He actually revived it four times—each time adding more pas (pronounced pah, incidental dance variations that don’t necessarily forward the plotline or character development). This shouldn’t come as a big surprise since Petipa was famous for developing the form of the grand ballet—a multi-act production with a fully-developed plot, pantomime acting, and lavish sets and costumes. And you’ll soon see that Le Corsaire absolutely fits that definition.

Who’s Who

Main Characters

Conrad, Birbanto, and Ali: shipwrecked pirates Medora: the most beautiful woman on the Greek island Gulnara: Medora’s friend Lankedem: an evil slave trader Seid Pasha: a rich sultan

So, What’s Going On?

Prologue: The Shipwreck Three corsairs (“pirates” in French) struggle to save their boat during a storm. Their efforts fail and the boat sinks.

Act I

Scene 1: The Sea Shore Shipwrecked on a Greek island, the corsairs named Conrad, Ali, and Birbanto are saved by a group of young women. If found by the Turkish patrols, the men will be in immediate danger. The women decide to hide them as one of the women, Medora, falls in love with Conrad. Meanwhile, Lankedem, an evil slave trader, is pillaging the Greek coast in search of women to seize and sell. The women successfully hide the corsairs but are captured by Lankedem’s men.

Caption: Mariinsky dancers are renowned for their impeccable technique and their focus on storytelling. Credit: Viktoria Tereshkina in Le Corsaire by Valentin Baranovsky ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

Scene 2: The Slave Market From his powerful throne in the marketplace, the sultan Seid Pasha is eager to add young women to his harem. Lankedem is equally enthusiastic to fill the sultan’s wish and sells Medora’s friend Gulnara to him. Then, just as Medora is brought in, another bidder enters the market area—the pirate Conrad in disguise. When Seid Pasha confronts Conrad, the other corsairs throw off their cloaks, seize the evil Lankedem, and rescue the women. The Seid Pasha is furious at the useless Turkish patrol.

Caption: Pas (incidental dance variations) are common in Petipa ballets. While these dance variations might not move the plot forward, they still help the audience better understand the characters. Credit: David Zaleyev in Le Corsaire by Natasha Razina ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

Act II: The Corsairs’ Cave The corsairs cheer the rescued women as well as the money they stole from the sultan. In celebration, Medora dances with Conrad and his friend Ali. The other women, however, express to Medora their desire to return home to their villages. Birbanto wants the women to stay, but Conrad is convinced by Medora to take the women home. Lankedem watches this conflict grow between Conrad and Birbanto. In exchange for his freedom, he offers Birbanto a sleeping potion. The plan is for Birbanto to pour the potion on a bouquet of flowers and give it to Medora. Medora passes the flowers to Conrad to thank him for his chivalry. Conrad falls asleep as Lankedem abducts Medora and he escapes the cave.

Caption: Medora is considered the most beautiful woman on the island; her movements are graceful and virtuosic. Credit: Oxana Skorik in Le Corsaire by Natasha Razina ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

Act III: The Seid Pasha’s Harem Lankedem brings Medora to Seid Pasha’s harem, where he eagerly buys her from the slave trader and celebrates his new prize in his “garden of beauties.” Suddenly, mysterious pilgrims enter the palace and are invited to join the evening prayer. But Medora recognizes the visitors to be the corsairs, once again in disguise. The pirates surprise attack Lankedem’s patrol and Conrad saves Medora once and for all.

Epilogue Medora, Conrad, and their friends sail toward their next adventure.

Check This Out…

Everything about this production is grand—from the spectacular sets and ornate costumes to the challenging choreography and large cast of dancers. The intricate plot calls for such grandeur, but it is also a famous quality of the Mariinsky company itself. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this production so impressive.

What to Look for:

SETS The sets in Le Corsaire feature spectacular backdrops, curtains, and panels that set the scene without taking up the dancers’ real estate on the stage. There are a couple of scenes (including the slave auction) where there is a small platform on stage. But for the most part, the stage is wide open. This allows for a large number of dancers to be on stage and for them to perform dynamic, traveling choreography. This is particularly noticeable in the opening of Act II where the corsairs and women are celebrating.

Caption: A scene inside the elaborate cave setting. Credit: Viktoria Tereshkina & Andrei Yermakov in Le Corsaire by Valentin Baranovsky ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

COSTUMES The costume design in Le Corsaire fuses Eastern-inspired apparel like harem pants and intricately wrapped stomach baring tops, with more traditional ballet apparel and accessories, including grand tutus and leotards and tights. Both the men and the women are dressed from head to toe. Headpieces and hats, facial hair and wigs, jewelry, and specially crafted shoes all reinforce characterization in Le Corsaire.

Caption: The costumes in Le Corsaire are extremely detailed and ornate—from the dancer’s headpiece and hairstyle to the pattern on her shoes. Credit: Olga Belik in Le Corsaire by Natasha Razina ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

Caption: The costume design fuses traditional ballet tutus and pointe shoes with more Eastern inspired apparel. Credit: Renata Shakirova & David Zaleyev in Le Corsaire by Natasha Razina ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

CHOREOGRAPHY Le Corsaire features both virtuosic choreography as well as elaborate pantomime. In fact, the character of Conrad initially didn’t dance at all—he only acted through pantomime.

Pay attention to the height of their jétes (zhuh-TAYS, jumps), intricate pirouettes (peer-WET, whirls or spins sequences), and effortless athleticism. Additionally, the corps de ballet (core duh bah-LAY, dancers in a company that perform as a group) demonstrates its unity of style.

Caption: Years of training allows this dancer to travel through the air with amazing flexibility and height, making this difficult jump look effortless. Credit: Philipp Stepin in Le Corsaire by Natasha Razina ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

Additionally, Mariinsky dancers have distinguished themselves for their beautiful port de bras (pawr duh BRAH, technique of moving arms gracefully) and epaulement (ay-pohl-MAHN, placing of the shoulders and head). This meticulous attention to expression, fluidity, and detail gives a sense of aristocratic elegance.

Caption: The corps de ballet often works as a backdrop to the principal dancers. Credit: Renata Shakirova in Le Corsaire by Natasha Razina ™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

The female dancers don’t always wear pointe shoes. They perform the more folkloric choreography in character shoes with a short heel.

Pantomime is a major element of Le Corsaire. It often helps to set the scene but is also incorporated into much of ballet choreography. For example, watch how Seid Pasha’s movements and gestures tell much about his intentions. Another dramatic moment of pantomime is when Conrad smells the bouquet of poisoned flowers at the end of Act II.

What to Listen for:

The score for Le Corsaire is a hodgepodge of tunes from many ballet composers, the result of scenes added over many years by Petipa. The “legend” is that ballerinas would often demand “a special solo” be added whenever they entered a production. Over time, each favorite solo became part of the standard version. In fact, ballets like Corsaire, (which didn’t start with a strong central score like Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty), were often subject to these kinds of musical additions.

Listen closely. Some music seems more Eastern Greek-inspired with accents from tambourines and flutes while other compositions sound like they may have come from another ballet like Swan Lake or The Sleeping Beauty.

What to Think About:

Le Corsaire has been performed internationally for over 250 years. Why do you think it remains so popular?

How is Le Corsaire similar to ballets you might have seen in the past? Can you make a list of qualities common among Petipa’s ballets or other classical ballets?

“Seeing a ballet” means more than simply watching dancers dance. A ballet is a total theatrical production with all parts working together, from the sets and costumes to the music and choreography. Think about how seeing Le Corsaire has changed your perception of ballet.

Let’s Talk About Shoes

In Le Corsaire, the ballerinas perform in both pointe shoes and heeled shoes. For some background info, here’s a bit of history behind the evolution of the ballet shoe.

Ballet and pointe shoes might seem inseparable today, but the art of ballet actually came about 200 years before ballerinas began dancing on their tiptoes. The Royal Academy of Dance was founded in France by King Louis XIV in the mid-seventeenth century. While ballet was practiced all throughout Europe, this Academy helped codify the language of the art form (which is why ballet terminology is in French). As ballet grew out of the social court dances, both male and female dancers wore heeled shoes (as you’ll see many dancers wear in the start of Act II). As you can imagine, heels inhibited a lot of movement. The heel was “dropped” in the early eighteenth century; the more formal shoe allowed for greater articulation of the foot (think of demi-pointe/soft ballet slippers that we have today).

By the late eighteenth century, choreographers began experimenting with wires and harnesses to elevate dancers from “mortal to ethereal.” Dancers also began stuffing their shoes with padding to get higher and higher on relevé (reh-luh-VAY, a raised body). Soon after, alterations were made to the shoes themselves to make this toe work more possible. The pointed-tip shoes were swapped with a sturdy front platform, or a layered fabric “box” to encase the toes, and a stiffer (but silent) sole. What we consider “modern day” pointe shoes are even stronger and sturdier than those early versions.

Surprisingly, the pointe shoe has remained relatively unchanged over the past 200 years despite the increasing demands of modern ballet dancing. A professional ballerina can wear up to 120 pairs of pointe shoes in a year and will often “alter” her shoes depending on a particular role (breaking them in more or stiffening them to last longer). Dance shoe companies provide the pointe shoes—the tools for the art—but it is often the dancer’s responsibility to mold and shape the shoes to fit her needs (and to care for her feet with tape, toe pads, etc.).

Learn more about the pointe shoe with this ARTSEDGE resource.

Take Action: Tell Your Story

Classical ballets were generally based off well-known fairy tales, fables, and folklore. Some examples are The Sleeping Beauty, Romeo and Juliet, and Swan Lake. Le Corsaire follows this model in the story elements of a shipwreck, a sleeping potion, and a happily-ever-after ending.

Think of a well-known story you especially enjoy—anything from the Three Little Pigs to Spider-Man. Either by yourself or with a group of classmates or friends, tell your story through movement using choreography and/or pantomime. Like a game of charades, communicate your tale without speaking. If you choose to present your work to your class or family, see if they can guess the story you’ve chosen to tell.

EXPLORE MORE

Go even deeper with the Le Corsaire Extras.

Top Photo: Le Corsaire by Valentin Baranovsky™ State Academic Mariinsky Theatre

Writer: Mary Callahan

Content Editor: Lisa Resnick

Logistics Coordination: Katherine Huseman

Producer and Program Manager: Tiffany A. Bryant

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Deborah F. Rutter President

Mario R. Rossero Senior Vice President Education

Support for Ballet at the Kennedy Center is generously provided by Elizabeth and C. Michael Kojaian.

International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David M. Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.

Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts.

#ballet #lecorsaireat2700f

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honibee-arts · 7 years

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OC facts

Ok, so there were a few biological details I didn't specify about my Yuri!!! On ICE OC'S, so, here goes: Aleks Altin: Height- 5'7" Weight- 65kg Eye colour- dark brown Hair colour- black Natalia Altin: Height- 4'6" Weight- 32kg Eye colour- grey Hair colour- black Ivan Baranovsky: Height- 6'0" Weight- 75kg Eye colour- Green (right), blue (left) (Was born with heterochormia iridium) Hair colour- auburn (I headcanon Yakov to have been a redhead) Manee Chulanont: Height- 4'8" Weight- 40kg Eye colour- hazel Hair colour- black Apinya Chulanont: Height- 5'9" (without heels) Weight- 59kg Eye colour- hazel Hair colour- black Éva De La Iglesia: Height- 5'5" Weight- 62kg Eye colour- brown Hair colour- brown Felix Giacometti: Height- 6'1" Weight: 83kg Eye colour- Green Hair colour- light brown Annabelle Giacometti Height- 5'8" Weight- 56kg Eye colour- Green Hair colour- chestnut brown (natural) honey blonde (current) Sarah King (Okuwaka): Height- 5'4" Weight- 49kg Eye colour- grey Hair colour- dark brown Lee Soo-Mi: Height- 5'0" Weight- 43kg Eye colour- grey Hair colour- black (natural) red (current) Madeleine-Marie Leroy: Height- 5'3" Weight- 49kg Eye colour- dark grey Hair colour- black Rosalie-Rhianne Leroy: Height- 5'2.5" Weight- 50kg Eye colour- dark grey Hair colour- black Leon-Louis Leroy: Height- 5'3.5" Weight- 46kg Eye colour- olive green Hair colour- black Edo Nekola: Height- 5'11.5" Weight- 79kg Eye colour- blue Hair colour- dark blonde (natural) blue-red (dyed)

#senior division ocs #junior division ocs #yoi ocs #yuri on ice #yuri on ice OC #yoi

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tilekeo388betvip · 4 years

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Tin Club 388: Nhận định, phân tích & dự đoán Shakhtyor Soligorsk vs Slavia Mozyr 21h00 ngày 16/05 VĐQG Belarus

Ý kiến chuyên gia: Giải VĐQG Belarus hiện đã qua đi 8 vòng. Ở thời điểm này, cả Shakhtyor Soligorsk và Slavia Mozyr đều là những đội bóng nằm trong nhóm giữa BXH. Shakhtyor Soligorsk đang bay cao với thành tích thi đấu tốt. Sau khi để thua Slutsk ở vòng 5 với tỷ số 1-2, đội bóng này đã liên tiếp bất bại ở 3 vòng sau đó, bao gồm 2 chiến thắng và 1 trận hòa.

xem thêm: https://388bet.top/Asia/vn/soi-keo.html

Thành tích này giúp cho Shakhtyor Soligorsk có sự trở lại mạnh mẽ sau một khoảng thời gian đầu mùa tương đối chậm chạp. Dù vậy vị trí thứ 7 trên BXH thời điểm này rõ ràng không phải là một thành tích quá đúng như kì vọng của họ. Tuy nhiên, khoảng cách giữa các đội trên bảng xếp hạng Ngoại hạng Belarus khá sít sao, ngay cả đội đầu bảng Slutsk, dù đã thi đấu đủ 8 vòng cũng mới chỉ có 16 điểm.

Vì thế cơ hội cho Shakhtyor Soligorsk là rất nhiều, nếu giành chiến thắng trong trận tới họ có thể sẽ leo đến top 4 của bảng điểm. Với 2 chiến thắng liên tiếp trong các lần đón khách vừa qua, sân nhà được coi là điểm tựa khá vững chắc cho Shakhtyor Soligorsk ở vòng đấu thứ 9 tới đây. Bên kia chiến tuyến, lavia Mozyr đang có phong độ phập phù. Sau khi trải qua 3 trận thua liên tiếp (2 ở giải VĐQG Belarus, 1 ở cúp quốc gia), họ vừa giành chiến thắng trước Vitebsk trước khi cầm hòa Torpedo Zhodino không bàn thắng ở vòng đấu gần nhất. Hai trận bất bại giúp cho tinh thần của Slavia Mozyr cải thiện rất nhiều. Tuy nhiên việc thi đấu sa sút trong thời gian qua khiến họ không còn duy trì được thứ hạng tốt như hồi đầu mùa. Tới thời điểm này, Slavia Mozyr đã bị đẩy xuống vị trí thứ 9 trên bảng xếp hạng với 11 điểm có được. DAFABET TẶNG 500.000Đ MỞ TÀI KHOẢN + THƯỞNG 260% TỚI 9 TRIỆU TẠI 2 THỂ THAO!Việc thi đấu chững lại khiến cho Slavia Mozyr gặp nhiều bất lợi. Việc phải hành quân đến sân của Shakhtyor Soligorsk ở vòng đấu cuối tuần cũng sẽ là một thử thách lớn đối với họ. Slavia Mozyr đang gặp phải những vấn đề nhất định trong lối chơi, đặc biệt là ở khâu phòng ngự. Điều này sẽ trở thành điểm yếu khiến cho Shakhtyor Soligorsk có thể khai thác trong cuộc chạm trán tới đây, nhất là khi chủ nhà được đánh giá là khá toàn diện trong cả khả năng sân bàn lẫn tổ chức phòng thủ. Hơn nữa ở trận này, trong khi Slavia phải thi đấu xa nhà thì Shakhtyor Soligorsk sẽ được chơi tại tổ ấm của mình, nơi họ đang thi đấu ổn định với chỉ 2 thất bại phải nhận ở 11 trận sân nhà gần nhất. Lợi thế sân bãi cùng dàn nhân sự vượt trội khiến Shakhtyor Soligorsk được đánh giá cao hơn, và họ hoàn toàn có thể chơi chủ động trước Slavia Mozyr. Có thể thấy các số liệu đang ủng hộ Shakhtyor Soligorsk. Ngoài phong độ nhỉnh hơn, cùng lợi thế sân bãi thì lịch sử đối đầu cũng đang nghiêng về chủ nhà. Đội bóng này luôn được coi là khắc tinh của Slavia khi mà họ bất bại cả 6 lần đụng độ với Slavia Mozyr trước đó, trong đó có tới 5 chiến thắng. Thế nên đội chủ nhà hoàn toàn có cơ sở để tự tin trong lần tái đấu này khi mà lợi thế vẫn đang nằm trong tay họ. Phong độ chững lại của Slavia cũng sẽ là một thời cơ thích hợp để Shakhtyor Soligorsk có thể giành lấy một kết quả có lợi cho mình. Dự đoán rằng Shakhtyor Soligorsk sẽ có được 1 chiến thắng trong lần đón khách ở vòng đấu thứ 9. Chọn đầu tư vào Shakhtyor Soligorsk trong keo bong da 1 trái là hoàn toàn hợp lí. Hàng thủ của Slavia cho đến lúc này mang đến nhiều nỗi lo khi thủng lưới tới 12 bàn sau 8 trận, nhiều hơn chủ nhà tới 4 lần. Con số thiếu thuyết phục này báo hiệu 90 phút khó khăn cho họ trước hàng thủ không quá kém cỏi của Shakhtyor Soligorsk. Chắc chắn Slavia sẽ rất vất vả nhưng vẫn sẽ phải nhận nhiều bàn thua trước Shakhtyor Soligorsk trong trận tới. Dự đoán trận đấu sẽ có nhiều bàn thắng được ghi và cửa tài sẽ là lựa chọn thích hợp. ĐỘI HÌNH DỰ KIẾN: Shakhtyor Soligorsk: Aleksandr Gutor, Sergey Matvejchik, Sergey Politevich, Aleksandr Sachivko, Igor Burko, Sergey Balanovich, Dmitri Podstrelov, Yuri Kendysh, Giorgi Diasamidze, Azdren Llullaku, Darko Bodul. Slavia Mozyr: Mikhail Baranovski, Vladislav Zhuk, Igor Tymonyuk, Egor Potapov, Vladislav Malkevich, Igor Costrov, Aleksandr Raevskiy, Valeri Senko, Francis Narh, Ilya Vasilevich, Aleksandr Kotlyarov. DỰ ĐOÁN: 3-1 Chọn: Shakhtyor Soligorsk Tài xỉu: Tài

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imstillright-blog · 7 years

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Would you take a pill that prolonged life indefinitely?

#immortality #comedy #podcast #i'm still right #headgum

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bingetheseries-blog · 6 years

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IN THIS SCENE... part 2.⁣

⁣-In the original pilot script, this was actually supposed to be Amete and Kate’s wedding. Similarly in that draft, Angela ends up making a scene and Kate breaks up with her. When we realized we’d be shooting this on our own dime, we made the scene much smaller - which, at the end of the day, felt much better... and gave us the wonder that is the Paul-is-dating-Amete’s-mom plotline.⁣

⁣-Amete’s mom compliments Angela’s hair color... and while filming we realized they actually had a very similar color, thus Kate’s added line.⁣

⁣-Angela never eats food in a regular way. She eats frosting from a spatula and pasta with her bare hands. The real Angela often talks about going to treatment and realizing she had no idea how to actually eat.⁣

⁣-Amete is played by Yuri Baranovsky, the director/co-writer of Binge.⁣

⁣MORE SOON!⁣

⁣#binge #binging #angelagulner #eatingdisorderawareness #trivia #bulimiarecovery #yuribaranovsky #hlgstudios #tv #tvshow #tvtrivia

#binge: the series #angela gulner #daniela dilorio #yuri baranovsky #eating disorder recovery #relationships #dark comedy #independent televsion #web series #binge trivia #binge fun facts #photo

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howtallcelebrity-blog · 9 years

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All about Yuri Baranovsky : height, biography, quotes

How tall is Yuri Baranovsky

See at http://www.heightcelebs.com/2016/01/yuri-baranovsky/

for Yuri Baranovsky Height

Yuri Baranovsky's height is 5ft 9in (1.75 m) Yuri Baranovsky is writer, born: September 28, 1983, Kiev, Ukrainian SSR, USSR [now Ukraine]. Yuri Baranovsky is best known for "How to Bite" Best Known For Movie: How to BiteHeight: 5ft 9in (1.75 m)Born: September 28, 1983, Kiev, Ukrainian...

#celebrity height #writer #yuri baranovsky #celebheight #celebrity without photo

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stagestories · 11 years

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The Stage

College of Marin, Kentfield

My Stage Story

If I ever get to meet Shakespeare - either in some kind of fantastical purgatory or once the zombies come - I'll have to thank him for launching my career.

In college, the first show I saw was Romeo & Juliet. It was a very well acted play - not surprising, as we counted Robin Williams as one of our alums (and the man that bought the college their entire damn theater). But more importantly, it brought something to my attention; something that multiple readings of the play never had... Friar John's excuse for not delivering the letter to Romeo was suspiciously stupid.

Plague on the road? Really? Just like, the entire road had plague?

This inspired me to write my very first one-act play, 11 Variations on Friar John's Failure. I put the show up at the college (using all the actors from their mainstage performance) and then, as luck would have it, the show got published and performed all over the world. It was my first real writing success and it gave me the confidence to pursue writing as a career - all thanks to that night at the theater.

And probably, a little, to Shakespeare.

Based in LA - by way of Kiev then San Francisco - Yuri Baranovsky is a co-founder of Happy Little Guillotine Studios and creator of the potato.

Image credit: Yuri Baranovsky

Submit your Stage Story

#stagestories #shakespeare #Yuri Baranovsky #arts #Theater #theatre #College of Marin #kentfield #double_size

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sugarswank · 11 years

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The Web Series: A Closer Look

The stars of "Break A Leg" take us behind the scenes and show us how rewarding being a star of an original Web Series can be.

If you like Arrested Development you should give this show a chance.

#Break A Leg #Yuri Baranovsky #BTS #Web series #Arrested Development #Joss Whedon #Dr. Horrible #nathan fillion #TV #Felicia Day #geek and sundry #Leap Year #the guild

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2700fstreet · 8 years

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BALLET / 2017-2018

La Bayadère

WORKING REHEARSAL

Mariinsky Ballet

Valery Gergiev, Artistic Director of the Mariinsky Theatre Yuri Fateev, Deputy Director of the Ballet Company Choreography by Marius Petipa Music by Ludwig Minkus with the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra Gavriel Heine, Conductor

Some Background First!

When Petipa arrived in St. Petersburg, Russia in 1847, he was considered just an “okay” dancer. Decades later, however, he had successfully danced his way up the ladder at the Russian Imperial Theatre. And now, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of this famous choreographer’s birth, the Mariinsky Ballet performs La Bayadère, (The Temple Dancer), a masterwork Petipa created 140 years ago. Set in India, this ballet is filled with exotic characters, passionate love, murderous betrayal, a snake!, and a mesmerizing ghostly journey into the afterlife.

Want to learn more Marius Petipa and Mariinsky Ballet? Go to www.mariinsky.ru/en/.

So, What’s Going On?

Act I

Solor, a young warrior, encounters Magdaveya, a holy man or fakir (FAH-kir), is near the wall of the Temple of the Sacred Flame. He asks Madgaveya to arrange a meeting with a beautiful Hindu temple dancer, or bayadère (BYE-ah-deer), named Nikiya that very night. Madgaveya agrees.

The temple dancer, or bayadère, known as Nikiya. Viktoria Tereshkina in La Bayadère, Photo by V. Khomyakov.

Meanwhile, the High Brahmin leads a procession marking the beginning of a temple ceremony attended by fakirs and bayadères who perform ceremonial dances. Nikiya, the dancer who keeps the temple flame, is approached by the High Brahmin. Even though he has pledged to never marry in service of the temple, the High Brahmin confesses his love to her and promises riches and power if she will be his. To his displeasure, she rejects his offer.

Elsewhere, Madgaveya tells Nikiya that the warrior Solor would like to meet her that evening. Nikiya happily agrees to the rendezvous. However, even with Madgaveya as their look out, the lovers are overheard by the High Brahim as Nikiya tells Solor she will run away with him if he promises to always be true to her.

In the palace, the King, or Rajah (RAH-juh), tells his daughter Gamzatti that today she will meet the man she has been promised to marry since her childhood. The man arrives, and it is none other than Solor. Solor is instantly mesmerized by Gamzatti’s beauty, and also confused about his promise to Nikiya.

The time for the wedding draws close. The High Brahmin visits the Rajah asking for a private audience. He tells the king about the vows he overheard between Nikiya and Solor while a suspicious Gamzatti eavesdrops. The Rajah is angered. He decides that the wedding will go on as planned, but Nikiya must die. The High Brahmin is upset by Rajah’s decision and warns the gods will take vengeance if a temple servant is killed.

Suddenly, Gamzatti comes out of hiding and sends a servant to find Nikiya. She explains her wedding plans to Nikiya and asks her to give up Solor. Nikiya, overcome with grief, tries to attack Gamzatti with a knife, but is stopped by the servant. An outraged Gamzatti pledges revenge.

Nikiya dances right before Gamzatti exacts her revenge. Oxana Skorik in La Bayadère, Photo by Natasha Razina State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

In the palace courtyard, Solor dances before guests. Kimin Kim in La Bayadère, Photo by Natasha Razina State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

Act II

The wedding celebrations for Solor and Gamzatti are underway with various dances as entertainment. When it is Nikiya’s turn to dance, she performs a solo filled with sorrow. At the end, she is handed flowers and is told they are a gift from her beloved Solor. But as she reaches for them, a snake slithers out and bites her. Right then, Nikiya realizes Gamzatti’s vengeance has sealed her fate. The High Brahmin offers Nikiya an antidote to the venom if she will love him, but she refuses his bid once again. Solor watches as Nikiya dies.

Dancers celebrating the wedding of Solor and Gamzatti. Photo by Natasha Razina State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

Act III

Solor is filled with regret for Nikiya’s death. Coming to his aid, Magdaveya calls a snake charmer in an attempt to distract Solor. Solor falls asleep and dreams of “The Kingdom of the Shades”—a place where the spirits of the dead come down from the mountain and pass before him, one by one, in a long processional line. He finds his beloved Nikiya, and she beckons him to follow her.

Watch these clips from the trailer for the Mariinsky’s recent London performances of La Bayadère here:

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Who’s Who

Solor a young warrior Magdaveya a fakir, or religious man The High Brahmin the temple religious leader Nikiya a bayadère, or temple dancer The Rajah the king Gamzatti the King’s daughter The Shades ghostly maidens of the afterlife

Check This Out…

Movements That Are Out of This World The dance in “The Kingdom of the Shades” is seen as an example of the pure classical ballet style Marius Petipa was to develop further in his later ballets. It also represents the epitome, and celebration, of the true virtuosity of the corps de ballet, (a group of dancers), and is often referred to as a “white ballet” of “ballet blanc.” Watch for…

a single shade/spirit entering from the upper-right corner draped in white tulle and a veil.

the way each subsequent dancer enters, one by one, performing the same steps—a forward-reaching arabesque (ar-uh-BESK) with lifted leg behind her, then a deep, reclining back bend and two forward steps. The shade repeats the sequence as the next dancer enters from the wings and follows in synchronicity. This repetition accentuates and amplifies the effect of this simple beautiful movement. Watch as 32 ghostly maidens enter, following one another down an actual ramp on stage.

the horizontal and diagonal lines present in the choreography. Petipa uses these lines to create a visual climax with movement.

the uniformity of training and style needed for these dancers to perform together to create such a spellbinding, mesmerizing effect. Imagine if any one of the 32 shades made a misstep!

To see a portion of “The Kingdom of the Shades” from the trailer for the Mariinsky’s recent London performances of La Bayadère, watch here:

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Photo by Valentin Baranovsky State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

Everything you ever need to know about arabesques is right here:

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Lines of ghostly “shades” on each side frame the formation of dancers in the middle. Photo by Natasha Razina State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

Think About This…

Clues to Characterization Choreography, like music, can have themes that introduce a character. Watch for the following gestures that tell us something about the character performing them:

Nikiya takes her open hands and sweeps them up to the top of one shoulder, a gesture that shows how she carries water in a jug, part of her daily duties.

The High Brahmin places his hands together and moves them down his chest, as if in prayer. Listen for the music that announces his entrances.

Solor’s overhead lift of Nikiya using one hand, communicating his exuberant happiness and love.

The quick turns, high jumps, and hand gestures by the Golden Idol. You can watch a clip from the Royal Opera House series, “Ballet Evolved” here:

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Solor and Nikiya create beautiful geometric shapes with the lines of their bodies as they dance together. Ekaterina Kondaurova and Timur Askerov in La Bayadère, Photo by Natasha Razina State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

Years of training allow this dancer, playing Nikiya, to travel through the air with amazing flexibility and height, making this difficult leap look effortless. Oxana Skorik in La Bayadère, Photo by Gene Schiavone.

Take Action: The Power of Promise

In La Bayadère, a promise is made and a promise is broken. Often in life when that happens, feelings are hurt, regrets are many, and people are disappointed. Have you ever broken your promise to someone? Has someone ever broken their promise to you? How did you feel?

Share all your best reasons why we shouldn’t break promises and post it to Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, Snapchat, or any other platform. Then, tag five friends and ask them to share what it means to them. Use #powerofpromise as your hashtag.

Explore More

Go even deeper with the Mariinsky Ballet Extras.

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PHOTO (top) La Bayadère by Natasha Razina State Academic Mariinsky Theatre.

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Support for Ballet at the Kennedy Center is generously provided by C. Michael Kojaian.

International Programming at the Kennedy Center is made possible through the generosity of the Kennedy Center International Committee on the Arts.

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