Ludwig Minkus "La Bayadere"

Ludwig Minkus "La Bayadere" Ballet in 4 acts (performed with 2 intermissions) Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes Scenario by Sergei Khudekov and Marius Petipa Choreography By Marius Petipa Also used choreography by honored artist of Russia Nikolay Zubkovsky, people's artist of USSR Konstantin Sergeev, national artist of the USSR Vakhtang Chabukiani The idea of the ballet "La Bayadere" came from the choreographer Marius Petipa in 1876. He made a plan of the libretto, for the development which invited the journalist, critic and ballet historian Sergei Khudekov. The creation of the score, the choreographer instructed the composer Ludwig Minkus, his constant collaborator. The plot is based on a drama by the ancient Indian poet Kalidas "sakuntala," and also a ballad by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe "the God and the Bayadere". Additionally, Petipa was used and ideas of his brother Lucien, who staged the ballet "sakuntala" written by Theophile Gautier in 1858 in Paris. From this performance Marius took plot points, the names of the actors, the images of the heroine and her treacherous rival, villain-priest. In "La Bayadere" powerfully sounded important for the art of the second half of the nineteenth century the theme of inner freedom, the pursuit of happiness and love, through the confrontation of injustice and violence. In addition, the modern spectator ballet gives an idea of the luxury of the visual embodiment of the productions of that time. The choreography combined the beauty and solemnity of the mass scenes, the impression of Divertissement with deep psychological line personal drama of the heroine, Nikiya. This performance was staged for a period in the history of world ballet, summed up the discoveries and conquests of the dance theatre.