"Sleeping Beauty" reconstruction 11/17 The Mariinsky Ballet; Obraztsova/Korsakov

Sergei Vikharev's controversial reconstruction of Marius Petipa & Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's original 1890 production of "The Sleeping Beauty" for the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet.

**see clip 1 for notes on the production


**Cast - --Princess Aurora - Eugenia Obraztsova
--Prince Désiré - Anton Korsakov
--The Lilac Fairy - Anastasia Kolegova


**Résumé of pieces for this clip -
--L'apparition de la Fée des lilas
Grand pas d'action -
--Entrée
--Adage
--Valse
--Variation (for Carlotta Brianza)


**Notes - The Mariinsky have restored Petipa's passage in the adage of the Grand pas d'action where Aurora poses for a moment on a shell, à la Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus". This painting served as inspiration for other balletmasters throughout the 19th century - in Jules Perrot's romantic masterwork of 1843 "Ondine, ou La naïade" (a.k.a. ''La Naïade et le pêcheur'') the title character made her entrance in a large shell that rose from the waters (there is a famous lithograph of the great Fanny Cerrito in this scene, which can be seen here - http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3651/3406118823_e28c3c3b85.jpg?v=0 ). Unfortunately Pierre Lacotte's recent revival of Perrot's "Ondine" for the Mariinsky has dumbed-down this grand entrée - in his version the heroine makes her entrance after being caught in a net while the hero is fishing. She is subsequently "dragged" on stage ... blah!

For the original production of 1890 Petipa cut the music that Tchaikovsky wrote for Aurora's variation in this scene & supplemented it with the music that was originally written for the Gold Fairy in Act III. Petipa did this for Carlotta Brianza, the first Aurora. Because of the change, Riccardo Drigo was required to bring the preceeding music to a new key by adding a few extra bars of music for a smooth transition. The Mariinsky have restored all of this.

The passage for harp at the beginning of the adage is not by Tchaikovsky (his original passage is very brief). It is likely the work of Albert Zabel, principal harpist in the Mariinsky Theatre's orchestra. There is also an expanded passage for harp at the start of the "Rose adagio". These expanded passages for harp are only found in Russian productions, notably the Bolshoi & Kirov versions.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Sleeping
• Beauty
• kirov
• Mariinsky
• ballet
• Tchaikovsky
• Petipa
• Obraztsova
• Korsakov
• Imperial
• Russia

[jiperezv]

Is the choreography for Brianza's variation taken from the notation? I makes me doubt because It is very similar, practicaly the same as danced by the lilac fairy (3 act) in K. Sergueyev production.

[mrlopez2681]

For some reason Obraztsova performs the more standard "Soviet" version of the choreography here. I have another DVD of the premiere of the reconstruction with Vishneva as Aurora. In that performance she dances what seems to be the notated version, which is slightly different & more "detailed" choreographically &, over all, much better.

[SuperEfexor]

Why this "Aurora's variation" instead the other famous surrounded by driads ?

[cubanmiamiboy]

It will be more dificult than what we think to erase N.S's staging. Vishneva once famously declared that this production was "for New Russians", somehow identifying herself to whole generations of past dancers and coaches who kept the S. version alive and well kept. Going back to character Lilac will be even more difficult, particularly after being known that the reason behind Petipa's deleting of her variation in the Prologue was his daughter's inability to dance it..

[BernardProfitendieu]

due to an illness, the role of the Lilac Fairy will be played tonight by Columbia

[pepercat17]

omg she looked like venus lmao