Raymonda
| Ballets and revivals of Marius Petipa |
|---|
*Paquita (1847, *1881) |
Raymonda (Russian: Раймонда) is a ballet in three acts, four scenes with an apotheosis, choreographed by Marius Petipa, with music by Alexander Glazunov, his opus 57. First presented by the Imperial Ballet at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre on 19 January [O.S. 7 January] 1898 in St. Petersburg, Russia. Among the ballet's most celebrated passages is the Pas Classique hongrois or Raymonda Pas de dix from the third act, which is often performed independently.
Contents |
Synopsis [edit]
Act I [edit]
Scene One – La fête de Raymonde [edit]
A room in the castle of the Countess de Doris
At the castle of the countess de Doris, preparations are underway for the celebrations of the young countess Raymonda’s name day (Jeux et danse). Sybille, her aunt, and an austere canoness, chides the pages and young girls for their idleness and their passion for dancing, reminding them of the legendary White Lady, the protector of the castle, who warns the Doris household every time one of its members is in danger and punishes those who do not fulfil their duties. The young people laugh at the canoness’ superstitions and continue to amuse themselves.A horn sounds and the Seneschal of the Doris castle announces the arrival of a messenger, sent by the knight, Jean de Brienne, bearing a letter for his lord’s betrothed, Raymonda. Countess Sybille goes to call her niece, while the girls throw flowers along the path that Raymonda will take. Raymonda runs in. She admires the flowers that the pages offer her (Entrée). Themessenger kneels and hands Raymonda the letter from her betrothed. Jean de Brienne informs Raymonda that king Andrew II of Hungary, for whom de Brienne has fought, is returning home in triumph, and de Brienne will be at the Doris castle the next day to be married to Raymonda. The girl rejoices. Local vassals and inhabitants enter and noisily congratulate Raymonda (Valse provençale – Pizzicato). After the dances, Raymonda orders a sumptuous reception and a Cour d’amour to be made ready in honour of her fiancé. Exhausted, Raymonda remains in the company of her dearest friends and of the troubadours (La Romanesque, Une Fantaisie). Suddenly, they all fall under a spell which makes them feel drowsy. Illuminated by the light of the moon, the White Lady appears, and with an imperious gesture, orders Raymonda to follow her.
Scene two – Visions [edit]
A shady garden; in the background, the high terrace of the castle of the countess de Doris
The White Lady, without making a sound, advances along the terrace. Raymonda follows her in a state of unconsciousness. At a signal from the White Lady, the garden is wrapped in mist. A moment later, the mist disappears and Raymonda sees herself next to Jean de Brienne. They are surrounded by La renommée (Glory), les chevaliers (knights) and les filles célestes (celestial maidens). The garden is illuminated by a fantastic light (Groupes et danses – visions). Raymonda expresses her joy to the White Lady, who interrupts her enthusiasm: “Look and see what awaits you”. Raymonda wants to return to her fiancé but she finds a handsome Saracen knight who has taken the place of Jean de Brienne. The stranger declares his passionate love for her. Raymonda is confused and upset, but she finds the strength to reject him (Scène dramatique). Imps and elves appear from everywhere (Danse des farfadets), surrounding Raymonda who begs the White Lady to save her. At that moment, the Saracen tries to take Raymonda by force: Raymonda cries out and falls to the ground in a faint. The frightful vision disappears along with the White Lady.
Act II – “Cour d’amour” [edit]
The courtyard of the castle of the Countess de Doris
The feast in honour of the arrival of Jean de Brienne is taking place. Paladins, knights, lords from neighbouring castles, eminent ladies, troubadours, minstrels and other guests at the Cour d’amour enter. Raymonda welcomes her guests. She is happy with the decorations of the courtyard, but she cannot hide her uneasiness caused by Jean de Brienne’s delay. Accompanied by a rowdy train of followers, Abderahman makes his entrance. Raymonda immediately recognises the Saracen seen in her dream. She is agitated and gives orders for him to be stopped from entering the castle courtyard. The countess Sybille, however, advises her niece to provide hospitality for anyone on that day (Grand Pas d’action). Captivated by Raymonda’s beauty,Abderahman reveals his passion for her, but remembering the warnings of the White Lady, Raymonda rejects him with contempt. She prefers the attentions of other knights who do not frighten her. Abderahman becomes even more insistent. He calls his slaves and he has them perform oriental dances for Raymonda (Pas des esclaves Sarrasines, Pas de Moriscos, Danse sarrasine, Panadèros). After the dances, Abderahman orders his cupbearers to enter. They pour a potion into everyone’s cup, causing all the guests to become drunk (Danse de échansons). Once he realises that the only way to possess Raymonda is by force, Abderahman orders his shield bearers to abduct her. But at that moment, de Brienne arrives at the castle accompanied by king Andrew II, his followers and army. Jean de Brienne frees Raymonda from the hands of the Saracens and tries to seize Abderahman. The king commands the two rivals to put an end to the matter in a duel, during which the ghost of the White Lady appears on the castle tower. Abderahman is dazed and de Brienne deals his fatal blow (Dénouement). The king joins the hands of Raymonda and Jean de Brienne.
Act III – Le festival des noces [edit]
The grounds near the castle of de Brienne The wedding banquet
Andrew II, king of Hungary, the countess Sybille and the newly wedded couple are congratulated (Cortège hongrois). In honour of the distinguished guest, a Hungarian- style divertissement is given: Rapsodie Palotâs Mazurka Pas classique hongrois Galop final In the Apotheosis: a knightly tournament.
History [edit]
Composition history [edit]
Raymonda was the creation of Marius Petipa, the renowned Maître de Ballet to the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres, the composer Alexander Glazunov, the director of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres Ivan Vsevolozhsky, and the author and columnist Countess Lidiya Pashkova.
Performance history [edit]
St. Petersburg Premiere (World Premiere)
- Date: 19 January [O.S. 7 January] 1898
- Place: Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg
- Balletmaster: Marius Petipa
- Conductor: Riccardo Drigo
- Scene Designers: O. Allegri, K. Ivanov, Pyotr Lambin
Moscow Premiere
- Date: 5 February [O.S. 23 January] 1900
- Place: Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow
- Balletmaster: Ivan Khlyustin, Aleksandr Gorsky
- Conductor: Andrey Arends
- Scene Designers: Karl Valts (Waltz), Lütke-Meyer, P. Isakov
Other Notable Productions
- 1908, Moscow, Bolshoy Theatre, Balletmaster Gorsky, conductor Arends, décor by Konstantin Korovin
Original Interpreters
| Role | St. Petersburg 1898 | Moscow 1900 | Moscow 1908 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raymonda | Pierina Legnani | Adelaide Giuri | Yekaterina Geltser |
| Jean de Brienne | Sergey Legat | Mikhail Mordkin | Vasiliy Tikhomirov |
| Henrietta | Olga Preobrajenska | ||
| Cléménce | Klavdiya Kulichevskaya | ||
| Abderakhman | Pavel Gerdt | Aleksey Yermolayev | M. Shchipachov |
The full-length Raymonda has been revived many times throughout its performance history, the most noted productions being staged by Mikhail Fokine for the Ballets Russes (1909); Anna Pavlova for her touring company (1914); George Balanchine and Alexandra Danilova for the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo (1946); Konstantin Sergeyev for the Kirov Ballet (1948); Rudolf Nureyev for American Ballet Theatre (1975), and for the Paris Opera Ballet (1983); Yuri Grigorovich for the Bolshoi Ballet (1984); Anna-Marie Holmes (in a 2-act reduction) for the Finnish National Ballet (2004), a version which was then staged for American Ballet Theatre (2004) and the Dutch National Ballet (2005).
There have been many productions around the world of only extracts from the full-length Raymonda, being for the most part taken from the Grand Pas Classique Hongrois from the third Act, which is considered to be among Marius Petipa's supreme masterworks. The most noted of these productions have been staged by George Balanchine for the New York City Ballet (1955, 1961, 1973); Rudolf Nureyev for the Royal Ballet Touring Company (1964); and Mikhail Baryshnikov for American Ballet Theatre (1980, 1987).
In 2005 the Australian Ballet Company performed a modern version of Raymonda, set in the 1950s, where Raymond is a Hollywood star and has filmed her last film before marrying a European prince. It was choreographed by Stephen Baynes and bears no resemblance to the original ballet.
Structure [edit]
Act I (scene 1) — La fête de Raymonde
- no.01 Introduction
- no.02 Jeux et danses
-
- —a. La traditrice
- no.03 Entrée de Raymonde
- no.04 Scène
- interpolation: Entrée d'Abdéràme
- no.05 Entrée des vassals et des esclaves
- no.06 Pas d'ensemble —
-
- a. Valse provençale
- b. Pizzicato – Variation de Raymonde
- c. Coda
- no.07 Départ des invitées
- no.08 La romanesque —
-
- a. La Romanesque
- b. Une fantaisie – Variation de Raymonde
- no.09 Clémence joue du luth
- no.10 Entrée de la Dame Blanche
- no.11 Entr'acte symphonique
Act I (scene 2) — Visions
- no.12 Grand scène du rêve
- no.13 Entrée de Jean de Brienne
- no.14 Grand Pas d'action —
-
- a. Grand adage
- b. Valse fantastique
- c. Variation I
- d. Variation II
- e. Variation de Raymonde (cut by Petipa from the original production)
- interpolation: Variation pour Mlle. Legnani (arranged by Glazunov from the Valse of his 1894 Scènes de Ballet, op. 52)
-
- f. Grand coda
- no.15 Scène dramatique
- no.16 Ronde des follets et des farfadets
Act I (scene 3) — L'aurore
- no.17 Scène finale
Act II — Cour d'amour
- no.18 Ouverture
- no.19 Marche
- no.20 Entrée d'Abdéràme
- no.21 Pas d'action —
-
- a. Grand adage
- b. Variation
- c. Variation
- d. Variation de Raymonde
- e. Grand coda
- Grand divertissement —
-
- no.22 Entrée
- no.23 Pas des esclaves sarrasins
- no.24 Pas des mariscos
- no.25 Danse sarrasine
- no.26 Pandéros
- no.27 Danse orientale (transformed by Petipa into the scene Les échansons)
- no.28 Coda générale / Bacchanalia
- no.29 L'arrivée de Jean de Brienne et Roi André II
- no.30 Le combat
- no.31 Dénouement et final
Act III — Le festival des noces
- no.32 Entr'acte
- no.33 Grand cortège hongrois
- no.35 Rapsodie
- no.34 Palotás
- interpolation: Mazurka (Insertion from Glazunov's 1894 Scènes de Ballet, op. 52)
- no.36 Pas classique hongrois —
-
- a. Entrée
- b. Grand adage (a.k.a. Pas de dix)
- c. Variation I
- d. Variation II (cut by Petipa from the original production)
- e. Variation pour quatre danseurs
- f. Variation de Raymonde
- interpolation: Variation (taken from the Act II Pas d'action, 1948 by Konstantin Sergeyev)
- g. Grand coda
- no.37 Galop générale
- no.38 Apothéose – Tourney
External links [edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Raymonda |
- Who’s who in classical performing arts: The Petipa Code or Searching for Raymonda Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5
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