Here's a look at my favorite ballets. What's your favorite?
Below is a list of my top 5 favorite ballets. Look for the ballet shoes "đŠ°" next to a link to see my favorite scenes & productions. đ Click the âLibrettoâ link under each title for a summary of the ballet.
#1 The Nutcracker (1892)
Composer: Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographers: Marius Petipa & Lev Ivanov
Source Material: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffman (1816)
Premiere: St. Petersburg, Russia, 1892
Performance History
The Nutcracker was premiered in St. Petersburg, Russia in December of 1892. It was performed as a companion piece to Tchaikovskyâs opera Iolanthe. In his book about choreographer Lev Ivanov, Roland John Wiley suggests that this double-billing was an attempt to surpass the Paris Opera, with whom double billings were standard at the time. The cast included the following:
Conductor: Riccardo Drigo
Sugar Plum Fairy: Antoinetta Dell-Era
Prince (for Sugar Plum Fairy): Pavel Gerdt
Clara/Masha: Stanislava Belinskaya
Nutcracker Prince: Sergei Legat
Uncle Drosselmeyer: Timofei Stukolkin
In comparison to audiencesâ love today, the initial premiere was not a success. Issues of an incongruous storyline coupled with a fragmented succession of dance numbers (such as in Act II) did not translate well to audiences at that time.
The score for The Nutcracker is notable for its use of lesser-known instruments of the time, such as the bass clarinet to introduce Uncle Drosselmeyer and the celesta as a solo instrument in âDance of the Sugar Plum Fairyâ. Tchaikovsky was commissioned by the Moscow Imperial Theatres director Ivan Vsevolozhsky to compose the score.
The story for the ballet was adapted from a Russian folktale by E.T.A. Hoffmann. Both Vsevolozhsky and Petipa contributed to this adaptation, which was the basis for both Tchaikovskyâs instructions for composition and the scoreâs libretto (see Wiley).
The Nutcracker Today
In modern times, The Nutcracker is a celebrated Christmas tradition for all ages. The annual tradition of staging the ballet began with the New York City Ballet and George Balanchineâs celebrated production in 1954. Many of the most memorable musical moments happen in both acts of the ballet.
Memorable Scenes (Videos)
Click links to view the performances of each selection.
Waltz of the Flowers â George Balanchine, New York City Ballet
Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy â Gelsey Kirkland, 1977 Production for PBS
𩰠Pas de Deux â Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gelsey Kirkland, 1977 Production for PBS
This pas de deux from Act I is my personal favorite of the entire ballet. It features a stirring melodic line in the cello paired with a lilting harp accompaniment. It makes a wonderful stand-alone addition to any classical music playlist! đ
Divertessiments â various productions (see links below)
This montage in Act II is a presentation of the various sweets in the Nutcrackerâs Princeâs magical kingdom. It is a crowd favorite in modern performances. Click here for more on the sweets of The Nutcracker!
Arabian Dance (Le cafĂŠ), Wendy Whelan, New York City Ballet, 1993
Russian Dance (TrĂŠpak), Boston Ballet, 2018
Dance of the Mirlitons, The Royal Ballet, 2019
Notable Productions and Choreographers
George Balanchine, New York City Ballet, 1954
Rudolf Nureyev, Royal Ballet, 1968
Yuri Grigorovich, Bolshoi Ballet, 1966
Mikhail Baryshnikov, American Ballet Theatre, 1976
𩰠Mikhail Baryshnikov, Televised production for PBS, 1977
My personal experiences...
The televised production for PBS was my first introduction to The Nutcracker at age 8. I have fond memories of watching it repeatedly on VHS at the home of my maternal grandmother. đ Other notable experiences include attending a live performance with my parents in Fort Worth to see the Texas Ballet Theatre. Barring a live performance, it has become an annual tradition for me to watch a production on TV at some point during the Christmas season.
#2 Lady of the Camellias (1978)
Composer: FrĂŠdĂŠric Chopin
Choreography and Staging: John Neumeier
Set and Costumes: JĂźrgen Rose
Source Material: La Dame aux CamĂŠlias by Alexander Dumas Fils (1848)
Premiere Performances: Stuttgart Ballet, Stuttgart, November 4, 1978 and The Hamburg Ballet, Hamburg, February 1, 1981
Lady of the Camellias follows a tradition in which new choreography is staged with existing music that was not originally composed for ballet. A similar example would be Kenneth MacMillanâs Manon (1974), where the music of composer Jules Massenet is paired with new choreography by MacMillan. The source material here is also a novel, LâHistoire du Chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut (1731). This same novel is employed as a subplot in La Dame aux CamĂŠlias.
Performance History
Premiere
Lady of the Camellias premiered at the Stuttgart Ballet in 1978. The part of Marguerite Gautier was originally created for Brazilian dancer Marcia HaydĂŠe. Over time it has become widely popular, being added into the repertory of many other companies including the Bolshoi Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet, and the American Ballet Theatre.
Original Cast
Marguerite Gautier: Marcia HaydĂŠe Armand Duval: Egon Madsen Manon Lescaut: Birgit Keil Des Grieux: Richard Cragun Prudence Duvernoy: Jean Allenby Gaston Rieux: Vladimir Klos Nanina: Ruth Papendick Monsieur Duval: Reid Anderson Olympia: Nora Kimball The Duke: Marcis Lesins Count N.: Mark A. Neal
The Music: FrĂŠdĂŠric Chopin
The most enduring quality of this ballet is not only the story, but the music it is set to. Below is a list of selections used in the ballet. Chopin composed only two piano concertos, and countless works for solo piano. All of these are incorporated seamlessly into the drama and used very effectively.
Prologue
Excerpt from Largo from Piano Sonata in Đ minor, Op. 58
Act I
Act II
Valse no. 1 in A flat major from Three Brilliant Waltzes, Op. 34 3 Ecossaises, Op. 72
Valse no. 3 in F major from Three Brilliant Waltzes, Op. 34 Largo, from the Sonata in Đ minor, Op. 58
PrĂŠlude no. 2 in A minor, from 24 Preludes, Op. 28 PrĂŠlude no. 15 in D flat major, from 24 Preludes, Op. 28 PrĂŠlude no. 17 in A flat major, from 24 Preludes, Op. 28 Excerpt from Largo from Piano Sonata in Đ minor, Op. 58
PrĂŠlude no. 2 in A minor, from 24 Preludes, Op. 28
PrĂŠlude no. 24 in D minor, from 24 Preludes, Op. 28
Act III
Fantasy on Polish Airs for Piano and Orchestra in A major, Op. 13
Ballade no. 1 in G minor, Op. 23
Andante Spianato and Grande Polonaise Brillante for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 22
Grande polonaise brillante in E-flat major, Op. 22
Excerpt from Largo from Piano Sonata in Đ minor, Op. 58
Memorable Scenes
Click links to view the performances of each selection.
𩰠Purple Pas de Deux (Act I), Ballet de Opéra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and Stéphane Bullion, 2008
White Pas de Deux (Act II), Ballet de OpÊra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and StÊphane Bullion, 2008
𩰠Act II Pas de Deux (Monsieur Duval), Ballet de Opéra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and Michaël Denard, 2008
Black Pas de Deux (Act III), Ballet de OpÊra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and StÊphane Bullion, 2008
Notable Productions
Stuttgart Ballet, Stuttgart, Marcia HaydĂŠe as Marguerite Gautier, 1978
The Hamburg Ballet, Hamburg, February 1, 1981
𩰠Ballet de Opéra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and Stéphane Bullion, 2008
Interview about Lady of the Camelias
In this 2008 interview with members of the Ballet de OpĂŠra National de Paris (including principal dancers Agnès Letestu and StĂŠphane Bullion), choreographer John Neumeier talks in detail about the plot and characters in relationship to Chopinâs music. Also, the costume designer goes into detail about his creations for this specific production. This interview is worthwhile to gain context on the ballet.
My personal experiencesâŚ
I have not yet seen this ballet live, but my first experience of it was a filmed production by OpÊra National de Paris with Agnès Letestu in the title role. The combination of one of my favorite composers with one of the most sumptuous periods in history is an experience I will not soon forget. To my knowledge, there are few ballets staged with Victorian dress, so this was quite a treat for me.
#3 Swan Lake (1875-76)
Composer: Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky
Choreographers: Julius Reisinger (1877 premiere); Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov (1895 revival)
Source Material: Russian and German folktales
Premiere Performances: Moscow, Russia, 1877. Revived in St. Petersburg, Russia, 1895.
The Story
Swan Lake a timeless tale of the magic of love and forgiveness. An innocent princess is turned into a beautiful swan by an evil sorcerer and a handsome prince attempts to save her. Various endings to the story exist. See Classic FMâs break down of the story and its various endings.
The 1877 Premeire and 1895 Revival
Swan Lake premiered at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow in 1877, conducted by Stepan Ryabov. This premiere was not a critical success, due to problems with choreography, staging, and costume design. The central cast included:
Odette/Odile: Olga Nikolayeva
Prince Siegfried: Victor Gillert
Queen: Olga Nikolayeva
Von Rothbart: Sergey Sokolov
Significant changes were made to the ballet leading up to its revival in 1895. With the death of Tchaikovsky in 1893, composer Riccardo Drigo took on the challenge of editing his massive score into a form that would better fit Petipa and Ivanovâs staging and choreography. Tchaikovskyâs younger brother, Modest, was consulted for approval of the edited score. In his book about choreographer Lev Ivanov, Roland John Wiley mentions the accolades given to dancers in this 1895 revival. Prima ballerina Pierina Legnani was specifically noted for her performance in the pas dâaction (see Pas dâaction (Act I)) and other scenes. Even today, the choreography of this 1895 production serves as the gold standard for many ballet companies.
The role of Odile, first seen in Act II, is noted for its technical difficulty required of the principal ballerina.
Memorable Scenes (Videos)
Click links to view the performances of each selection.
𩰠Danse des petits cygnes (pas de quatre) â Ballet de lâOpĂŠra de Paris (Nureyev 1984 version), 2019
Pas dâaction (Act I) â American Ballet Theatre, Gillian Murphy and Angel Corella, 2005
Odette Solo/Coda/Scene (Act I) â OpĂŠra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and JosĂŠ Martinez, 2012
𩰠Coda from Black Swan Pas de Deux (Act II) â Royal Ballet, Marianela NuĂąez and Vadim Muntagirov, 2018 â This scene is famous because Odile performs 32 consecutive fouettĂŠ turns, which is a feat of physical stamina for any ballerina. Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Lesley Rausch describes what happens in this sequence.
Black Swan Pas de Deux (Act II) â American Ballet Theatre, Gillian Murphy and Angel Corella, 2005 â This is the complete "Grand Pas de Deux" which traditionally follows this order: Entree - Adagio - Main Pas de Deux - Male Variation (solo) - Female Variation (solo) - Coda (with 32 fouettĂŠs!! đ)
Notable Productions and Choreographers
Vatslav Reisinger, Bolshoi Theatre, Premiere, 1877
Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, Mariinsky Theatre, Revival, 1895
𩰠Kevin McKenzie, American Ballet Theatre, Gillian Murphy and Angel Corella, 2005
𩰠Rudolph Nureyev, (1984 Version) Opéra National de Paris, Agnès Letestu and José Martinez, 2012
Liam Scarlett, Royal Ballet, Marianela NuĂąez and Vadim Muntagirov, 2018
Recordings and Articles
Tchaikovsky: Swan Lake â Mariinsky Orchestra, Valery Gergiev (conductor), 2007
Octave Magazine: Swan Lake â OpĂŠra National de Paris Magazine â Stories and videos from backstage
My personal experiences...
I first saw Swan Lake live at Ballet Austin in 2015, featuring live accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. Following that performance, I made a commitment to see at least one ballet live every year. That commitment has waned some in the last few years, but I still very much enjoy going to the ballet whenever possible.
#4 Romeo & Juliet (1940)
Composer: Sergei Prokofiev
Choreographers: Leonid Lavrovsky (1940), Kenneth MacMillan (1965)
Source Material: Romeo & Juliet by William Shakespeare (first published 1597)
Premiere Performance: Leningrad, Russia, 1940
Performance History
Romeo & Juliet premiered in its full two-act version on January 11, 1940, at the Kirov Theater (now Mariinsky Theatre) in Leningrad. Previously, it was produced as a single act in 1938 and later revised for the Leningrad premiere. Notable productions followed in the 1960s and 1970s in Germany, London, and Russia.
The score is characterized by both playful and romantic themes. The most notable orchestrations consist of solo violin, strings, bassoon, clarinet, and horn, with color being added by flute and trumpet in certain scenes. Prokofiev makes significant use of double reeds and pizzicato strings in many of his more playful themes. His frequent use of bassoon is what drew me to this score. These same playful ideas can be seen in his score for Cinderella (1940-1944) as well.
Memorable Scenes (Videos)
Click links to view the performances of each selection.
Dance of the Knights â The Royal Ballet, 2019
𩰠Balcony Pas de Deux â Teatro alla Scala, Misty Copeland and Roberto Bolle, 2016
𩰠Bedroom Pas de Deux â The Royal Ballet, Yasmine Naghdi and Matthew Ball, 2019
Notable Productions and Choreographers
John Cranko, Stuttgart Ballet, 1962 (view sample video)
Kenneth MacMillan, The Royal Ballet, Covent Garden, London, 1965
Rudolph Nureyev, London Festival Ballet, (now English National Ballet), 1977
Yuri Gregorovich, Bolshoi Ballet, 1979
𩰠Kenneth MacMillan, The Royal Ballet, Royal Opera House, Carols Acosta and Tamara Rojo, 2007
Kenneth MacMillan, Teatro alla Scala, Misty Copeland and Roberto Bolle, 2017
This ballet has been restaged numerous times in the decades since its premiere, and each version has its own foothold in various parts of the world. MacMillanâs choreography seems to be highly popular with American audiences. His choreography was my first introduction to the work and has become a personal favorite. When combined with Prokofievâs stormy and passionate score, I often think of it as Shakespeareâs text brought to life on stage.
The Royal Ballet's director Kevin OâHare seems to agree with this assessment. See his introduction to MacMillanâs production here.
The Orchestral Suites
Sergei Prokofiev eventually created several extractions from his full ballet score. Two of these extractions became his orchestral suites, Op. 64, Nos. 1 & 2. They are performed frequently in orchestral concerts. Listen to this full recording of the suites by the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.
My personal experiences...
I had the distinct pleasure of seeing Misty Copeland dance Juliet on stage at Lincoln Center as part of their 75th anniversary season. This was also my first time visiting the American Ballet Theatre and it was unforgettable! Another memorable experience for me was viewing a San Fransisco Ballet production of Romeo & Juliet via a live broadcast at our local cinema. I was the only person in the theatre at the time, so it made for a uniquely beautiful (and emotional) experience! đ
#5 Giselle (1841)
Composer: Adolphe Adam
Choreographers: Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot
Source Material: De l'Allemagne, by Heinrich Heine, and "FantĂ´mes" in Les Orientales by Victor Hugo
Premiere Performance: Paris, France, June 1841
Performance History
Giselle, like Swan Lake, is a story of love, betrayal, and forgiveness. Giselle is a young peasant girl with a fragile heart who loves to dance. She meets and falls in love with Albrecht, a young man who is secretly duplicitous. The role provides both technical and acting challenges for the prima ballerina. The action in first act is mostly conveyed through the use of ballet pantomime, conveying spoken conversation solely through actions rather than the use of words.
The 1841 Premiere
Giselle premiered in Paris, France in 1841 with Caroltta Grisi dancing the principal role. This role is considered to be a gold standard of choreography in the era of Romantic ballet. The original choreography has been passed down largely intact, with several revivals by Marius Petipa in St. Petersburg in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The Romantic era marked the rise of the ballerina as a central part of ballet, where previously men had dominated performances. The movement style for Romantic ballerinas was characterized by soft, rounded arms and a forward tilt in the upper body. This gave the woman a flowery, willowy look. Leg movements became more elaborate due to the new tutu length and rising standards of technical proficiency (The Dance Anthology (2011)).
The ballet was a raving success, with critics praising Grisiâs performance and Corrali and Perrotâs choreography. Souvenirs were also sold, such as lithograph prints of Grisi as Giselle and sheet music arranged for social dancing.
Memorable Scenes (Videos)
Click links to view the performances of each selection.
Peasant Pas de Deux â Teatro alla Scala, Sophie Sarrote and Antonio Sutera, 2005
𩰠Mad Scene â Teatro alla Scala, Roberto Bolle and Svetlana Zakharova, 2006
𩰠Act I Pas de Deux â Teatro alla Scala, Roberto Bolle and Svetlana Zakharova, 2006
Giselle Variation (Act I) â The Royal Ballet, Natalia Osipova, 2014
Pas de Deux (Act II) â The Royal Ballet, Natalia Osipova and Carlos Acosta, 2014
Notable Productions and Choreographers
𩰠Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, Teatro alla Scala, Roberto Bolle and Svetlana Zakharova, 2006
Marius Petipa, The Royal Ballet, Natalia Osipova and Carlos Acosta, 2014
Dancers
Several well-known dancers took on the role of Giselle in the early 20th Century. These include Tamara Karsavina, Anna Pavlova, Alicia Markova, and Margot Fonteyn. Vaslav Nijinsky famously danced the role of Prince Albrecht opposite Tamara Karsavina at Covent Garden in 1911.
Articles
Reflections on Giselle by Lisa Macuja-Elizalde, a prima ballerina from Manila, capital city of the Philippines. She became the first foreign soloist to join the Kirov Ballet in 1984. This article traces her experiences in preparing and performing the role of Giselle over the course of her career.
My personal experiencesâŚ
I saw Giselle live for the first time in 2019 with Ballet Austin, featuring live accompaniment by the Austin Symphony Orchestra. It was absolutely beautiful! I look forward to future performances. đ
About the Author
Jayme Nelson is a graduate student in library science at Texas Woman's University, with a focus on archives and special collections. She plays bassoon in the Austin Symphonic Band and serves as a collections volunteer at the Austin History Center, a local city archive. She is currently completing her practicum at the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History in Austin, TX.
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