La Sylphide, one of the world's oldest surviving romantic ballets. Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance There are two versions of the ballet. The version (choreographed by the Danish balletmaster August Bournonville (1805-1879), perhaps being the best-known. See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή" The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe See also, ' Ballet Master' ( Balletmaster, Ballet Mistress. Premier Maître de ballet or Premier Maître de ballet en Chef) Year 1805 ( MDCCCV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or Year 1879 ( MDCCCLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common
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Versions of La Sylphide
In 1832, the first version of La Sylphide premiered in Paris with choreography by Filippo Taglioni and music by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer. Year 1832 ( MDCCCXXXII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Paris (ˈpærɨs in English; in French) is the Capital of France and the country's largest city See also, Choreography (literally "dance-writing" from the Greek words "χορεία" (circular dance see chorea) and "γραφή" Filippo Taglioni (aka Philippe Taglioni; November 5, 1777 &ndash February 11, 1871) was an Italian Dancer Taglioni designed the work as a showcase for his daughter Marie. See also Marie Taglioni ( April 23, 1804 &ndash April 24, 1884) was a famous Italian ballerina of the Romantic ballet The ballet's libretto was written by tenor Adolphe Nourrit, the first Robert in Meyerbeer's Robert Le Diable, an opera which introduced the dancer Marie Taglioni in its dances section The ballet of nuns. Adolphe Nourrit ( March 3 1802 &ndash March 7 1839) was a French operatic Tenor, Librettist, and Giacomo Meyerbeer ( September 5, 1791 &ndash May 2, 1864) was a noted German -born Opera Composer, and Opera is an art form in which Singers and Musicians perform a Dramatic work (called an opera which combines a text (called a Libretto Nourrit's scenario was loosely based on a story by Charles Nodier, Trilby, ou Le lutin d'Argail but swapped the genders of the protagonists — a goblin and a fisherman's wife in Nodier; a sprite and a farmer in the ballet. A scenario (from Italian, that which is pinned to the scenery) is a synthetic description of an event or series of actions and events Charles Nodier ( April 29, 1780 &ndash January 27, 1844) was a French Author who introduced a younger generation The Protagonist or main character is the central figure of a story. A goblin is an evil crabby or Mischievous Creature of Folklore, often described as a grotesquely disfigured or Gnome -like phantom A fisherman or fisher is someone who gathers Fish, Shellfish, or other animals from a body of water The term sprite is a broad term referring to a number of Preternatural Legendary creatures The term is generally used in reference to Elf -like creatures A farmer is a person who raises living organisms for food or raw materials
In 1836, La Sylphide was choreographed anew by the Danish balletmaster August Bournonville with music by Herman Severin Løvenskiold. Baron Herman Severin Løvenskiold (born 30 July, 1815 in Holmestrand, Norway - died 5 December, 1870 in Copenhagen Bournonville had intended to present a revival of Taglioni's original version in Copenhagen with the Royal Danish Ballet, but the Paris Opera demanded too high a price for Schnietzhoeffer's score. Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city The Royal Danish Ballet is one of the oldest Ballet troupes in Europe. In the end, Bournonville mounted his own production based on the original libretto. The Bournonville version has been danced in its original form by the Royal Danish Ballet since its creation and remains one of Bournonville's most celebrated works. Modern interpretors of Bournonville's Sylph include Lis Jeppesen, whose performance is recorded on DVD.
In 1892, Marius Petipa mounted a revival of Taglioni's original La Sylphide for the Imperial Ballet with additional music by Riccardo Drigo. See also Marius Ivanovich Petipa (Мариус Иванович Петипа (born Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa on 11 March 1818 in Marseille, Kingdom The Mariinsky Ballet, is an internationally renowned Classical ballet company based at the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg, Russia. Riccardo Eugenio Drigo ( ru Риккардо Эудженьо Дриго a A variation Drigo composed for the ballerina Vavara Nikitina in Petipa's version is today the traditional solo danced by the lead ballerina of the famous Paquita Grand Pas Classique, interpolated by Anna Pavlova in 1904. For the Mexican singer see Paquita la del Barrio Paquita is a Ballet in two acts and three scenes with libretto by Joseph Mazilier and Anna Pavlovna Pavlova (А́нна Па́вловна Па́влова (&ndash 23 January, 1931) was a famous Russian Ballerina of the late
In 1972, a revival of the Taglioni version was staged by Pierre Lacotte for the Paris Opera Ballet. The Paris Opéra Ballet is the official Ballet company of the Opéra national de Paris, otherwise known as the Palais Garnier, though Since Taglioni's choreography has been irretrievably lost, Lacotte's choreography is based on prints, notes, drawings, and archival materials from the era of the ballet's premiere. Lacotte's choreography is in the style of the period but entirely new and has been criticised by some as inauthentic. Interpreters of the role of Lacotte's Sylph at the Opera National de Paris include Ghislaine Thesmar (Lacotte's wife) and Aurelie Dupont. Ballerina Ghislaine Thesmar was born in 1943 in Beijing, China, and studied at the Paris Conservatoire. Aurélie Dupont (born January 15 1973 in Paris) is a French Ballet dancer who performs with the Paris Opera Ballet as an Both artists have recorded their work on DVD and video.
La Sylphide is often confused with Les Sylphides, another ballet of similar name, also involving the mythical sylph, or forest sprite. Les Sylphides is a short non-narrative ballet blanc. Its original Choreography was by Mikhail Fokine, with music by Sylph (also called sylphid) is a mythological creature in the Western tradition In every other respect however, the two ballets are unrelated.
Summary
Act 1. Emma Livry ( 24 September 1842 &ndash 26 July 1863) was one of the last Ballerinas of the Romantic ballet era and In the hall of a Scottish farmhouse, James Ruben, a young Scotsman, sleeps in a chair by the fireside. Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. A sylph, or forest fairy, gazes lovingly upon him and dances about his chair. Sylph (also called sylphid) is a mythological creature in the Western tradition She kisses him and then vanishes when he suddenly wakes. James rouses his friend Gurn from sleep, and questions him about the sylph. Gurn denies having seen such a creature and reminds James that he is shortly to be married. James dismisses the incident and promises to forget it.
James' bride-to-be, Effie, arrives with her mother and bridesmaids. Participants in wedding ceremonies, also known as the wedding party, include the bride and groom (or bridegroom) the maid of honor James dutifully kisses her, but is startled by a shadow in the corner. Thinking his sylph has returned, he rushes over, only to find the witch, Old Madge, kneeling at the hearth to warm herself. Witchcraft, in various historical anthropological religious and mythological contexts is the use of certain kinds of Supernatural or magical powers James is furious with the disappointment.
Effie and her friends beg Old Madge to tell their fortunes, and the witch complies. She gleefully informs Effie that James loves someone else and she will be united with Gurn. James is furious. He forces Madge from the hearth and throws her out of the house. Effie is delighted that James would tangle with a witch for her sake.
Effie and her bridesmaids hurry upstairs to prepare for the wedding, and James is left alone in the room. As he stares out the window, the sylph materializes before him and confesses her love. She weeps at his apparent indifference. James resists at first, but, captivated by her ethereal beauty, capitulates and kisses her tenderly. Gurn, who spies the moment from the shadows, scampers off to tell Effie what has happened.
When the distressed Effie and her friends enter after hearing Gurn's report, the sylph disappears. The guests assume Gurn is simply jealous and laugh at him. Everyone dances. The sylph enters during the midst of the revelry and attempts to distract James.
As the bridal procession forms, James stands apart and gazes upon the ring he is to place on Effie's finger. The Sylph snatches the ring, places it on her own finger, and, smiling enticingly, rushes into the forest. James hurries after her in ardent pursuit. The guests are bewildered with James' sudden departure. Effie is heartbroken. She falls into her mother's arms sobbing inconsolably.
Act 2. In a fog shrouded part of the forest, Madge and her companion witches dance grotesquely about a cauldron. The revellers add all sorts of filthy ingredients to the brew. When the contents glow, Madge reaches into the cauldron and pulls a diaphanous, magic scarf from its depths. The cauldron then sinks, the witches scatter, the fog lifts, and a lovely glade is revealed.
James enters with the sylph who shows him her charming, woodland realm. She brings him berries and water for refreshment but avoids his embrace. To cheer him, she summons her ethereal sisters who shyly enter and perform their airy dances. The young Scotsman is delighted and joins the divertissement before all flee for another part of the forest.
Meanwhile, the wedding guests have been searching the woodland for James. They enter the glade. Gurn finds his hat, but Madge convinces him to say nothing. Effie enters, weary with wandering about the forest. Madge urges Gurn to propose. He does and Effie accepts his proposal.
When they all have left, James enters the glade. Madge meets him, and tosses him the magic scarf. She tells the young farmer the scarf will bind the sylph to him so she cannot fly away. She instructs him to wind the scarf about the sylph's shoulders and arms for full effect. James is ecstatic. When the sylph returns and sees the scarf, she allows James to place it around her trembling form.
As James embraces the sylph passionately, her wings fall off, she shudders, and dies in James' arms. Sorrowfully, her sisters enter and lift her lifeless form. Suddenly, a joyful wedding procession led by Effie and Gurn crosses the glade. James is stunned. Madge directs his gaze heavenward; he sees the sylph borne aloft by her sisters. James collapses. Madge exults over his lifeless body. Evil has triumphed.
Characters
- James Ruben, a Scottish farmer
- The Sylph, a forest sprite
- Gurn, James' friend
- Effie, James' fiancee
- Old Madge, a village sorceress
- Effie's mother, an elderly woman
- Bridesmaids, wedding guests, witches, sylphs
See also
References
External links
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