Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Ballet Sleeping Beauty
Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky was born on May 7, 1840 in Votkinsk, a provincial town in the Urals. His father, an engineer, served as the director of the Mining Plant. Mother - originally from the nobility, a Frenchwoman by birth - played the piano pretty well; Obviously, she really had an outstanding talent, because under her influence Petya became seriously interested in music.
After graduating from the St. Petersburg School of Law, Tchaikovsky, as expected, entered the service of the Ministry of Justice. From there, he fled four years later, unable to imagine life without music, and after three years of study at the St. Petersburg Conservatory, he was invited to the post of teacher at the Moscow Conservatory, which still bears his name to this day.
Symphonies (only at the time of his youth he created as many as three), chamber compositions, music for theatrical productions - what only he did not write with pleasure that his former dull work would never have brought him! He even became famous - although the real fame will find him later ...
In 1876, Tchaikovsky completed the final version of the score for the ballet Swan Lake, at about the same time his correspondence began with Nadezhda von Meck, a wealthy widow, later a patron of the great Russian composer.
The mid-1880s saw the flowering of Tchaikovsky's talent as a composer. The symphonic poem "Manfred", the opera "The Queen of Spades", the Fifth Symphony and the last two ballets - "The Nutcracker" and "The Sleeping Beauty" - are the golden pages of the Russian musical heritage.
Pyotr Ilyich died on November 6, 1893 in St. Petersburg on the ninth day after the first performance of his Sixth Symphony. In the history of Russian music, perhaps, there was no sudden and painful loss - the greatest of geniuses passed away too tragically and absurdly.
Perrault, an intellectual in the court of the Sun King
Born into an affluent Parisian bourgeois family, Charles Perrault was a brilliant inspiration to the French cultural and political scene during the reign of Louis XIV.
Under the patronage of the powerful minister Jean-Baptiste Colbert, he became the author of highly valued historical, satirical and philosophical writings. He took a lively part in the well-known controversy at the French Academy, known as the "Quarrel of the old and the new", defending the right to new creative forms of literary and artistic works.
Today, his name is primarily associated with the Tales of Mother Goose. This is a collection of eleven tales, among which eight are written in prose, and three are in verse. The book includes the most favorite children's fairy tales: Sleeping Beauty, Little Red Riding Hood, Bluebeard, Puss in Boots, Little Thumb, Cinderella.
With this book, Perrault opened a new literary genre for his country, bringing back to life the themes and characters characteristic of the oral folk tradition with a simple and poetic style.
sleeping Beauty
The first part of the famous ballet trilogy ("Sleeping Beauty", "Swan Lake", "The Nutcracker"), born of the inspired creative union of Marius Petipa and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It premiered in 1890 at the St. Petersburg Mariinsky Theatre.
The production, which amazed even the most demanding connoisseurs with its luxury, was very soon recognized as the highest example of romantic choreography of the 19th century. It is based on the elegance, strength, style and perfection of dance movements and facial expressions. Not a single role was “obscured” in favor of the role of the prima ballerina: on the contrary, all the others only increased her radiance with their brilliance.
In the twentieth century, the production of The Sleeping Beauty was performed with great success by almost all world theaters. And, with rare exceptions, its content and choreography remained inviolable - they came out so perfect and flawless from the pen of their creators.
Prologue. Baptism
After the completion of the overture, the curtain opens with a solemn march. At the court of Florestan XIV, a celebration is being prepared on the occasion of the baptism of the little princess Aurora: the scenery takes us to the end of the seventeenth century.
As the comical master of ceremonies, Catalabutte, examines the list of guests and greets them, the sound of a trumpet announces the departure of the king and queen. Six fairy godmothers arrive at the court: Fairy of sincerity, Fairy of flowering ears, Fairy scattering bread crumbs, Fairy - chirping canary, Fairy of ardent, strong passions, and Lilac Fairy.
They brought their gifts to the newborn. Chief among them is the Lilac Fairy, who invites the others to pas de sis, one of Marius Petipa's most brilliant choreographic creations. Little princess Aurora sleeps peacefully in her cradle under the supervision of caring nannies.
Each of the fairies performs a virtuoso variation, the Lilac Fairy has the last word.
The pas de sis ends with a coda, in which, in addition to the fairies, their gentlemen and other guests take part. Suddenly, the festive atmosphere is broken: the sky darkens, and thunderclaps announce the arrival of the Fairy Carabosse, accompanied by a motorcade of mice. Hurt and angry that she was not invited to the christening ceremony, she demands an explanation from the king and queen and torments the comical master of ceremonies, who forgot to do it. Despite the intercession of the fairies and the requests of the queen, the evil Carabosse utters a curse: at the age of sixteen, Aurora will prick herself on a spindle and die.
But at this moment, the disturbing accompaniment of the orchestra is filled with tenderness, and the Lilac Fairy, who has not yet presented her gift, softens the witchcraft: the girl will not die, but will only fall asleep for a long time and wake up when the handsome prince wakes her up with a kiss. General depression is replaced by an irresistible faith in goodness and hope for the best.
To avoid the misfortune predicted by the evil sorceress Carabosse, the king issues a decree forbidding, under pain of death, the use of the spindle in his kingdom.
Act 1Witchcraft
16 years have passed and Aurora's birthday is being celebrated in the royal gardens. The waltz sounds - the most famous fragment of the ballet.
The princess is introduced by the suitors of four princes (a Frenchman, a Spaniard, an Indian and a Russian), who have come to congratulate her on her coming of age. With everyone, she is friendly and willingly dances with everyone, but she does not give preference to anyone. The king and queen look at their daughter with tenderness and tenderness. But anxiety does not leave them - after all, they have not forgotten the curse of the evil sorceress.
One of the brightest and most beautiful moments in the tradition of romantic ballets begins: the famous adagio. A sumptuous harp arpeggio opens it. The four princes, like excellent assistants, take turns supporting Aurora in her magnificent pirouettes.
This is followed by a cheerful dance of court ladies and the last variation of Aurora. An old woman approaches the princess with a bouquet of roses. The girl takes the bouquet and spins in a waltz. Suddenly she loses strength and falls: a spindle was hidden in the flowers, and the princess pricked her finger with its sharp end.
Everyone is engulfed in grief. At this moment, the cloak falls from the shoulders of the old woman, and those present recognize in her the triumphant Fairy Carabosse. The Lilac Fairy - the patroness of Aurora - reassures the family of the princess. “She did not die, this is not death, but a dream,” says the good fairy, and after the wave of her abandoned wand, the whole kingdom falls asleep after Aurora. Darkness envelops the castle, and soon it is completely hidden in thick darkness.
Act 2Vision
100 years have passed since the tragic events in the kingdom of Floristan XIV. In the vicinity of the enchanted castle, Prince Desire and his entourage are going to hunt. Horns sound. Ladies and gentlemen are dressed in the fashion of the late eighteenth century, and the cocked hat of the master of ceremonies has been replaced by a hat with a feather. The courtiers are going to have fun and court the ladies, then start a game of "Blind Fly", but the prince reluctantly joins them. Soon he completely leaves the noisy clearing and, wandering thoughtfully through the forest, meets the Lilac Fairy. She consoles him and tells that the beautiful princess is waiting for his kiss to wake up from a hundred-year sleep. Aurora appears in the prince's imagination. Having coped with unexpected excitement, the prince eagerly joins her dance and even tries to keep the girl, but the Fairy and her companions affectionately stop him. Aurora runs away, disappearing like a ghost.
The prince yearns to see Aurora again. Together with the Lilac Fairy, he sails in a boat to the enchanted kingdom. They are surrounded by a silent forest, through the dense thickets of which the towers of the palace appear.
The curtain falls for a while, and the violin solo opens a magnificent symphonic intermission.
In the overgrown park, only the evil Carabosse Fairy and her servants are awake. They block the path of anyone who intends to penetrate the sleeping kingdom.
Suddenly, they hear sounds heralding the appearance of the Lilac Fairy. Carabosse is powerless before her power. Meanwhile, Prince Desiree had already reached the bed of the sleepy Aurora. With a passionate kiss, he awakens the sleeping beauty. The whole kingdom wakes up with her. A hot feeling of first love covers Aurora and Desiree. Captivated by the beauty and charm of Aurora, the prince asks the king and queen for the hand of their daughter.
Act 3. Wedding
The wedding of Prince Desire and Princess Aurora is celebrated in the luxurious palace hall. A solemn and such a long-awaited event opens with a cheerful polonaise. One by one, famous characters from the fairy tales of Charles Perrault pass. The Lilac Fairy is also here, because only thanks to her the magic happened.
The Aurora Sisters perform delightful ensembles with fun variations. This is followed by the first intermezzo - a duet of the White Cat and Puss in Boots.
Following them, Princess Florine and the Blue Bird perform their pas de deux, a number requiring great technical skill. The wave of their hands resembles the movements of the wings of birds in a majestic flight.
The second fabulous intermezzo is the story of the Wolf and Little Red Riding Hood. Despite the formidable appearance, the Wolf is comical and not at all scary.
Thumb boy and his brothers are also welcome guests at the celebration. They are not at all afraid of the clumsy and funny Cannibal - he is just a character in a masquerade. All guests are happy for the young. And here they are!
The happy newlyweds perform a festive duet, their pas de deux filled with the brightest feeling. There is general rejoicing. Fountains are beating. From the sparkling cascade arises the Lilac Fairy, the personification of the all-conquering and triumphant good, who won a crushing victory over evil.
Photos by V. Dmitriev (NGATOB, Novosibirsk) and others.