The Awakening of Flora (4/4) - Grand pas, Galop générale, & Apothéose

Taken from the Mariinsky Ballet's reconstruction of "The Awakening of Flora". VII International Ballet Festival. Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg. April 12, 2007.

Choreography by Marius Petipa (reconstructed by Sergei Vikharev from the choreographic notation of the Sergeyev Collection. The programs produced by the Mariinsky for this ballet credit Lev Ivanov jointly with Petipa for the choreography, which is not correct). Music by Maestro Riccardo Eugenio Drigo.

1. Grand pas (w/ elaborate chor. by Petipa - ABT's horrific production of "Le Corsaire" uses Drigo's music for this number for the so-called "Pas de deux de la chambre", or "Bedroom Pas de deux")
2. Galop générale
3. Apothéose - La révélation d'Olympe

Unfortunately Eugenia Obratzova never really allows herself to "be the ballerina" while performing here. One element of the genius of Petipa's choreography for the character of Flora can be seen here by his ability to allow the ballerina to add her own touches. Mathilde Kschessinskaya, who created the role of Flora in 1894, was one of the greatest virtuosas of classical choreography that has ever lived, & surely milked it for all it was worth. For some reason Obraztsova merely executes the steps here, & at no point does she really give any panache to the choreography. In some places she is even off the music to an odd degree. But this was the first time this ballet had been performed at the Mariinsky Theatre in almost 100 years, & I have no doubt she was nervous performing true Petipa in "Petipa's house" in front of the most distinguished persons of the Russian ballet. Also, she may have strove to merely present the choreographic text unembellished for the sake of demonstrating true "pure Petipa" to the audience.

Here we have Eugeniia Obraztsova as Flora, Goddess of the Flowers; Vladimir Shkliarov as Zephyr, God of the west wind, Maxim Chaschegorov as Apollo, God of the day; & Valeria Martynyuk as Cupid.

**History -
This ballet was originally created for the celebrations held at the Imperial Theatre of Peterhof in honor of the wedding of the Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna (daughter of Tsar Alexandr III & sister of Tsar Nicholas II) to the Grand Duke Alexandr Mikhailovich. Premiered 9 August [O.S. 28 July] 1894, with the Prima Ballerina Assoluta Mathilde Kschessinakaya as Flora.

I would like to share with all my fellow balletomane-youtubers excerpts from this beautiful little ballet, set to Drigo's magnificent music.

Enjoy!!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Awakening
• of
• Flora
• Mariinsky
• Kirov
• Ballet
• Obraztsova
• Marius
• Petipa
• Riccardo
• Drigo

[lopatkinalover]

where did you get the copy? I would really like one.

[palubob]

Thank you very much for this. I just received a copy from Europe (I am in Norh Carolina) and your notes add appreciably to my enjoyment & appreciation of this little gem. Thanks again.

[EricMontreal22]

Very cool! It's rare to meet guys my age with such a love for traditional ballet and interest in the reconstruction, etc

[EricMontreal22]

My god--I'd be thankful for even 10 seconds from that! There's TONS of Kirov/Marrinsky Bayadere here but it's all of the standard 1940s production--and now that they may not dance the reconstruction again I'm all the more eager to see.

[EricMontreal22]

Your knowledge and clips on here are amazing--but for my own ego I wanna make clear why I put reconsturction under quotations when I mentioned Lacotte ;) I'm well aware of the difference--I've been obsessed with the Petipa stuff since I was 8 or so so about 20 years. I know people like Pugni's earlier work--i'll have to get to know it.

Do you have ANY of the Bayaderer reconstruction footage btw?

[mrlopez2681]

Actually "Roi" was only revised by Drigo (I think I put it up on wiki). Little snippets are still around, aside the 2 previously mentioned, there are also solos in Paquita. One must keep in mind the difference between "reconstrcution" and "revival". Lacotte certainly does NOT reconstruct. Most of Pugni's surviving work dates from his latter years when he was drunk most of the time and could care less about quality. His early work is very good.

[EricMontreal22]

I'd of coruse be all for that--though I think we might end up more with a Lacotte type "reconstruction" than a Vikerev (sp?) one... However I'm not a huge Pugni fan (i know Candaule ended up by the 1900s with tons of compsoers) whereas I think Glazunov's Raymonda score is a masterpiece--and we have a lot of that choreography well known still. I'd just like to see what was from the original--the Kirov/Marrinsky even dropped the White Lady and all that mime...

[mrlopez2681]

if there is any Petipa that needs to be reconstructed, its his behemoth 1868 masterwork "Le Roi Candaule" (The only part that is still performed is the so-called "diana et acteon pas de deux" & Gamzatti's solo in Bayadere)

[EricMontreal22]

Pretty much impossible but it would be nice if they'd at least film the Marrinsky three we have--maybea nice box set (I can dream). I'd also love to see Raymonda tackled this way next, thoughit looks like we'll have no more.

[ecj177]

Beautiful!!!!!