Ballet in Western Culture: A History of Its Origins and Evolution

by Carol Lee

Book Overview

First Published in 2002. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0415942578
• ISBN13: 9780415942577
• Release Date: September 2002
• Publisher: Routledge
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 7.0" x 9.2"

Customer Reviews

Good

I enjoyed this book very much, but for all its well researched statements, etc., I could not believe that the author included the following statement, which must be corrected - "Riccardo Drigo...composed two undistiguished ballet scores in the service of the choreographer (Petipa)." In fact Riccardo Drigo wrote 5 ballets for Petipa (two for Lev Ivanov - "The Enchanted Forest" -1887, and "The Magic Flute" -1893), which were anything but undistinguished in their time - "The Talisman" (1889) was revered for its score, though the ballet itself was not, and even pleased such grand dames of the artistic world as Alexander Benois and Tchaikovsky himself. Drigo presented a new version of his score in 1907 for Nikolai Legat's revival. "The Awakening of Flora" (1894, created for the celebrations held at Peterhof for the wedding of Tsar Alexander III's daughter Xenia). Drigo's score was revered by the critics of the day, and the work survived long in the repertory of the Imperial Ballet and Pavlova's company. 30 minutes of it was recorded by Richard Bonynge. The work was choregraphed by Petipa, though there is a long running error which has spread from source to source that it was Lev Ivanov's ballet. "The Pearl" (1896, created for the festivities held at the Moscow Bolshoi Theatre in honor of Tsar Nicholas II's coronation) Drigo's score was hailed as masterpiece - the ballet, set in an under-water kingdom, boasted a score that featured an offstage choir. "Harlequin's Millions" (aka Harlequinade) (1900) Drigo was mobbed after the premiere of this ballet by the Imperial audience, who were so enraptured with the score. The New York City ballet includes this work in thier repertory in Balanchine's version. "The Romance of the Rosebud and the Butterfly" (1904) this work never premiered in light of the Russo-Japanese war and Petipa's falling out with the Imperial Theatre's new director Telyakovsky. It was later revived as "The Tale of the Rosebud" in 1919 by Fydor Lophukov, and was a success. Maybe a second edition will fix the author's incorrect statement.