La Perle (en.The Pearl) (ru. «Жемчужина» or «Прелестная жемчужина»; Zhemchuzhina or Prelestnaya Zhemchuzhina) (en.Pearl or Pretty Pearl) is a ballet-divertissement in one act, with libretto and choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Riccardo Drigo.[1]
La Perle
The first page of the illustrated libretto of La Perle. Taken from the souvenir program of the gala performed at the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow in celebration of the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna. 1896.
While the ballet was in the early stages of production, a list of potential dancers for inclusion in the cast was created for review by a committee responsible for the coronation and its subsequent celebrations. Among those chosen for consideration in the principal roles was Nicholas II's former mistress, the ballerina Mathilde Kschessinskaya. In light of the history between Kschessinskaya and the new Emperor, his mother the Dowager Empress Marie Fyodorovna demanded that the ballerina be removed from the cast, as it would be considered scandalous for Kschessinskaya to perform in front of the Emperor's new wife, the Empress Alexandra. When Kschessinskaya learned of this, she appealed to the Emperor's uncle, the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich, whose influence reinstated the ballerina in the cast in spite of the fact that at this point the Ballet Master Petipa and the composer Drigo had completed all of the choreography and music. Petipa became extremely frustrated when he learned that he and Drigo were nonetheless required to compose a number for Kschessinskaya, which took the form of a classical pas de deux for a new character dubbed "La Perle jaune" (the Yellow Pearl) and her suitor, performed by the danseur Nikolai Legat.[3][4]
La Perle was later transferred to the regular repertory of the Imperial Ballet, where it was first performed on 15 February [O.S. 3 February] 1898 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg. Marius Petipa would revive the ballet on only one occasion for a gala performance given at Petergof in 1900.[5]La Perle was performed often throughout the 1900s and was given its final performance in 1910.
Musicedit
Riccardo Drigo's score featured an off-stage chorus and a large orchestra consisting of nearly 100 musicians. Contemporary critics praised the score for its rich melodic content and orchestration.[4] Drigo would later admit in his memoirs that he found it challenging to compose the many solo variations for the ballerinas while still maintaining variety.[4]
The Russian pedagogue Konstantin Sergeyev utilized pieces from Drigo's score for La Perle for his class concert for the Vaganova Academy titled School of Classical Dance (or From Landé to Vaganova) (ru. «Школа классического танца (От Ланде до Вагановой)»).
Synopsisedit
Marius Petipa's libretto was based on the danced tableau La Pérégrina: Ballet de la Reine from Verdi's opera Don Carlos. The scene was omitted before the premiere of the opera, and would have been choreographed by Petipa's brother Lucien.[6]
La Perle is set in a colossal subterranean grotto deep in the sea, where the White Pearl resides with her sister pearls of differing colors. The Genie of the Earth descends to the ocean floor in an attempt to abduct the White Pearl as an adornment for his crown. The King of the Corals comes the White Pearl's aid by causing a battle between the elements of the earth and of the sea. The Genie of the Earth succeeds in capturing the White Pearl, and the King of the Corals thereupon orders all of the ocean denizens to salute the Genie of the Earth side by side with the White Pearl. In an apotheosis, the Triumph of Amphitrite and Poseidon is depicted.[2][7]
Photograph of the Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani costumed as the White Pearl. Moscow, 1896.
Taken from the program for the coronation gala of 1896 and from Riccardo Drigo's memoirs.[2][4]
Divertissement-ballet in one act
No. 01 Danse des perles
No. 02 Scène dansante
No. 03 Combat des coraux et métaux
No. 04 Pas de deux
No. 05 Grand pas d'ensemble
No. 06 Danse pyrrhique des armées du Roi corail, du Génie de la terre, et des perles
No. 07 Apothéose: La triomphe d'Amphitrite et de Poséidon
Galleryedit
Design for the décor of La Perle by Mikhail Bocharov.
Design for the curtain used during the performance of La Perle at the coronation gala of 1896.
Costume design for one of the pearls by Ivan Vsevolozhsky.
Page from the illustrated program.
Page from the illustrated program representing the battle between the denizens of the Ocean and the Earth.
Page from the illustrated program representing the apotheosis of Amphitrite and Poseidon.
Footnotesedit
^ abGarafola, Lynn (Spring 1992). The Diaries of Marius Petipa. Studies In Dance History, vol. III, no. 1.
^ abcdLevenson, A.A. (1896). Imperial Coronation Program for the Gala Presentation at the Imperial Bolshoi Theater in Moscow 17 May 1896 on the occasion of the Holy Coronation of His Imperial Majesty the Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Aleksandrovich and Her Imperial Majesty the Sovereign Empress Aleksandra Feodorovna.
^Kschessinska, Mathilde (H.S.H. The Princess Romanovsky-Krassinsky) (1960). Souvenirs de la kschessinska. Librairie Plon.
^Pleshcheyev, Alexander Alexeyevich (1899). Наш балет, 1673-1899 (Our Ballet), 2nd supplemented edn. with foreword by K.A. Skal'kovsky. Th. A. Pereyaslavtsev and A.A. pleshcheyev.
^Jürgensen, Knud Arne (1995). The Verdi Ballets. Istituto nazionale di studi verdiani. ISBN978-8885065123.
^Petipa, Marius (1971). Мариус Петипа. Мате риалы. Воспоминания (Marius Petipa. Materials, Recollections, Articles). A. Art.
January 01, 1970
perle, ballet, perle, pearl, Жемчужина, Прелестная, жемчужина, zhemchuzhina, prelestnaya, zhemchuzhina, pearl, pretty, pearl, ballet, divertissement, with, libretto, choreography, marius, petipa, music, riccardo, drigo, perlethe, first, page, illustrated, libr. La Perle en The Pearl ru Zhemchuzhina or Prelestnaya zhemchuzhina Zhemchuzhina or Prelestnaya Zhemchuzhina en Pearl or Pretty Pearl is a ballet divertissement in one act with libretto and choreography by Marius Petipa and music by Riccardo Drigo 1 La PerleThe first page of the illustrated libretto of La Perle Taken from the souvenir program of the gala performed at the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow in celebration of the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna 1896 ChoreographerMarius PetipaMusicRiccardo DrigoLibrettoMarius PetipaBased onLa Peregrina Ballet de la Reine from Verdi s opera Don CarlosPremiere29 May O S 17 May 1896Imperial Bolshoi Theatre Moscow 15 February O S 3 February 1898Imperial Mariinsky Theatre St PetersburgDesigndecor Pyotr Lambin after Mikhail Bocharovcostumes Ivan VsevolozhskyGenreBallet divertissement Contents 1 History 2 Music 3 Synopsis 4 Original cast 5 Resume of scenes and dances 6 Gallery 7 FootnotesHistory editLa Perle was created as a piece d occasion for a lavish gala given at the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow in celebration of the coronation of Emperor Nicholas II and Empress Alexandra Fydorovna The ballet had its premiere after a performance of scenes from Mikhail Glinka s opera A Life for the Tsar on 29 May O S 17 May 1896 1 2 The original cast of La Perle featured the highest ranking dancers from the St Petersburg and Moscow Imperial theatres While the ballet was in the early stages of production a list of potential dancers for inclusion in the cast was created for review by a committee responsible for the coronation and its subsequent celebrations Among those chosen for consideration in the principal roles was Nicholas II s former mistress the ballerina Mathilde Kschessinskaya In light of the history between Kschessinskaya and the new Emperor his mother the Dowager Empress Marie Fyodorovna demanded that the ballerina be removed from the cast as it would be considered scandalous for Kschessinskaya to perform in front of the Emperor s new wife the Empress Alexandra When Kschessinskaya learned of this she appealed to the Emperor s uncle the Grand Duke Vladimir Alexandrovich whose influence reinstated the ballerina in the cast in spite of the fact that at this point the Ballet Master Petipa and the composer Drigo had completed all of the choreography and music Petipa became extremely frustrated when he learned that he and Drigo were nonetheless required to compose a number for Kschessinskaya which took the form of a classical pas de deux for a new character dubbed La Perle jaune the Yellow Pearl and her suitor performed by the danseur Nikolai Legat 3 4 La Perle was later transferred to the regular repertory of the Imperial Ballet where it was first performed on 15 February O S 3 February 1898 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre St Petersburg Marius Petipa would revive the ballet on only one occasion for a gala performance given at Petergof in 1900 5 La Perle was performed often throughout the 1900s and was given its final performance in 1910 Music editRiccardo Drigo s score featured an off stage chorus and a large orchestra consisting of nearly 100 musicians Contemporary critics praised the score for its rich melodic content and orchestration 4 Drigo would later admit in his memoirs that he found it challenging to compose the many solo variations for the ballerinas while still maintaining variety 4 The Russian pedagogue Konstantin Sergeyev utilized pieces from Drigo s score for La Perle for his class concert for the Vaganova Academy titled School of Classical Dance or From Lande to Vaganova ru Shkola klassicheskogo tanca Ot Lande do Vaganovoj Synopsis editMarius Petipa s libretto was based on the danced tableau La Peregrina Ballet de la Reine from Verdi s opera Don Carlos The scene was omitted before the premiere of the opera and would have been choreographed by Petipa s brother Lucien 6 La Perle is set in a colossal subterranean grotto deep in the sea where the White Pearl resides with her sister pearls of differing colors The Genie of the Earth descends to the ocean floor in an attempt to abduct the White Pearl as an adornment for his crown The King of the Corals comes the White Pearl s aid by causing a battle between the elements of the earth and of the sea The Genie of the Earth succeeds in capturing the White Pearl and the King of the Corals thereupon orders all of the ocean denizens to salute the Genie of the Earth side by side with the White Pearl In an apotheosis the Triumph of Amphitrite and Poseidon is depicted 2 7 nbsp Photograph of the Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani costumed as the White Pearl Moscow 1896 Original cast editRole Moscow 1896 The White Pearl Pierina Legnani The Genie of the Earth Pavel Gerdt The King of the Corals Nikolai Aistov The Pink Pearls Adelaide Giuri amp Lyubov Roslavleva The Black Pearls Anna Johansson amp Claudia Kulichevskaya Pas de deux of the Yellow Pearl Mathilde Kschessinskaya amp Nikolai Legat 2 Resume of scenes and dances editTaken from the program for the coronation gala of 1896 and from Riccardo Drigo s memoirs 2 4 Divertissement ballet in one act No 01 Danse des perles No 02 Scene dansante No 03 Combat des coraux et metaux No 04 Pas de deux No 05 Grand pas d ensemble No 06 Danse pyrrhique des armees du Roi corail du Genie de la terre et des perles No 07 Apotheose La triomphe d Amphitrite et de PoseidonGallery edit nbsp Design for the decor of La Perle by Mikhail Bocharov nbsp Design for the curtain used during the performance of La Perle at the coronation gala of 1896 nbsp Costume design for one of the pearls by Ivan Vsevolozhsky nbsp Page from the illustrated program nbsp Page from the illustrated program representing the battle between the denizens of the Ocean and the Earth nbsp Page from the illustrated program representing the apotheosis of Amphitrite and Poseidon Footnotes edit a b Garafola Lynn Spring 1992 The Diaries of Marius Petipa Studies In Dance History vol III no 1 a b c d Levenson A A 1896 Imperial Coronation Program for the Gala Presentation at the Imperial Bolshoi Theater in Moscow 17 May 1896 on the occasion of the Holy Coronation of His Imperial Majesty the Sovereign Emperor Nikolai Aleksandrovich and Her Imperial Majesty the Sovereign Empress Aleksandra Feodorovna Kschessinska Mathilde H S H The Princess Romanovsky Krassinsky 1960 Souvenirs de la kschessinska Librairie Plon a b c d Travaglia Silvio 1929 Riccardo Drigo l uomo e l artista Guglielmo Zanibon Pleshcheyev Alexander Alexeyevich 1899 Nash balet 1673 1899 Our Ballet 2nd supplemented edn with foreword by K A Skal kovsky Th A Pereyaslavtsev and A A pleshcheyev Jurgensen Knud Arne 1995 The Verdi Ballets Istituto nazionale di studi verdiani ISBN 978 8885065123 Petipa Marius 1971 Marius Petipa Mate rialy Vospominaniya Marius Petipa Materials Recollections Articles A Art Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title La Perle ballet amp oldid 1162162850, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
