Kirov Ballet: La Esmeralda Pas de six w/ Yevteyeva & Aliev, 1988

From a 1988 performance in London by the Kirov/Mariinsky Ballet. Yelena Yevteyeva & Eldar Aliev perform the so-called "La Esmeralda" pas de six to perfection.

It is worth noting that the Wren Orchestra of London is heard here under the baton of maestro Viktor Fedotov (1933-2001), long-time principal conductor of ballet performances at the Mariinsky Theatre who could turn even the most run-of-the-mill 19th century ballet music into poetry. He approached the old guard of ballet composers such as Minkus or Pugni with the same respect he gave any of the so-called "symphonists" of the ballet (Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, etc.) The Mariinsky still has not found a ballet conductor of his caliber. The manner in which he conducts Drigo's music in this particular performance while still serving the needs of dancers is breath-taking.


**Pas d'action for Virginia Zucchi (Riccardo Drigo, 1886)
a.k.a. "La Esmeralda" pas de six -
1. Grand adage
2. Pas des bohémiennes
3. Valse lente: Variation d'Esmeralda
4. Variation of Vakhtang Chabukiani, ca. 1935 (music: Cesare Pugni)
5. Grand galop

In 1886 Marius Petipa revived Jules Perrot's 1844 masterpiece "La Esmeralda" at the Mariinsky Theatre for the visiting Italian ballerina Virginia Zucchi. For the occasion, the Imperial Ballet's principal conductor & director of music Riccardo Drigo refurbished the old score of Cesare Pugni. As was the custom of the time, a novelty was added to showcase the ballerina's dramatic gifts. The result was this splendid Pas d'action which takes place in the second act of the ballet. Zucchi's performances as Esmeralda became legend in Russia, & the role became among the most coveted of parts for the ballerina.

By the turn of the 20th century, the legendary Prima Mathilde Kschessinskaya allowed no other ballerina to perform the role. But long before she made her own debut as Esmeralda in 1899, Kschessinskaya approached the old maestro Petipa to plead for the part, having remembered the glories of Zucchi in 1886. In her memoirs, Kschessinskaya gives a lovely account of his refusal to allow her dance the role at such a young age:

" "You love?", asked Petipa. Confused, I answered that I was indeed in love, that I did love. Whereupon he continued, "You suffer?" I thought it a strange question & immediately replied, "Certainly not!" He then explained to me - a fact that I was to remember later - that only artists who had known the sufferings of love could understand & interpret the role of Esmeralda."

The choreography of Zucchi's 1886 Pas d'action went through a huge metamorphoses in the hands of the great ballerinas of the 1920s & 30s. Vaganova's revision for the great Tatiana Vecheslova eventually became the basis for the version seen here.

As with all of the old pas from Imperial Russia, any absent male dancing (such as a variation) was later added in the 1930s by Vakhtang Chabukiani (& later, Konstantin Sergeyev). Chabukiani is certainly the godfather of all modern-day male ballet dancers.


**Scenario --
Esmeralda, the gypsy dancer, has been invited by Fleur-de-Lys de Gondelaurier to dance at her betrothal celebrations. Little does Esmeralda know that her beloved, Captain Phœbus de Châteaupers, is Fleur-de-Lys's intended. Entering with her bohemian companions, including the poet Pierre Gringore, Esmeralda tries to flee, but is stopped by her friends. Placing her favorite tambourine in her hand, Pierre Gringore coaxes Esmeralda to dance. She then begins her melancholy performance that eventually gives way to abandon & even joy that is often interrupted by the reality that her beloved shall marry another. But by the end, her love of dancing completely takes over.


--ENJOY!!

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Yelena
• Yevteyeva
• Eldar
• Aliev
• Esmeralda
• Kirov
• Mariinsky
• Ballet
• Vaganova
• Riccardo
• Drigo
• Marius
• Petipa

[resborzage]

I also love Fedotov. He really knows how these gorgeous ballets should go and respects them as well. This is a lovely and amazingly virtuosic piece and this is a good performance. She could get a lot more out of the role though and isn't quite up to it technically. If you haven't - see Gabriela Komleva dance this (from the 70s, I think). She is fully up to it both expressively and technically. Same costumes too!

[mrlopez2681]

@resborzage - Yevteyeva was almost near retirement when this performance took place.

[palomaherrera]

Мр.Lopez Thanks! I thought you were no longer active, I missed your precious videos and your wonderful explanation! I enjoyed seeing it through! Ah! You know where I can buy online the CD "Music of Russian imperial ballet" is a piano and ballet lessons!

[mrlopez2681]

@palomaherrera - are you referring to the one played by the pianist Igor Zapravdin? I have all 3 volumes.

[palomaherrera]

@mrlopez2681 If! Oh my god! I love them! :)

[mrlopez2681]

@palomaherrera - I'd be more than happy to share them - whats your email?

[TheBallet1]

Evteyeva, exquisitely tender and beautiful

[oldoperafan]

Thank you so much for this, and for the information.

[mrcctvb]

Yelena Yevteyeva is the best ballet dancer ever, some people say Margot Fonteyn was the best one, but since I saw Swan Lake, I totally changed my point of view. I'm still keeping the DVD for Yelena Yevteyeva's Swan Lake, you can't find any flaw from her perfomance. If you see the black swan that she performed, you will feel the one from Natalie Pxrtman is just annoying.

[SuperEfexor]

Magnificent Kirov dancers, magnificent orchestra, magnificent masterpiece...thank you for posting and notes

[sangfroidjen]

Compare this to clip of Borchenko's Esmeralda variation, I can understand why seasoned balletomanes lament about today's ballerinas, and how previous generation ballerinas actually DANCE not to mention express emotions/ act instead of just concentrating on technique or going onstage to merely perform technical exercises.

This is Esmeralda par excellence IMO.