Thamar & Sheherazade, Ballets
About the Event
Enjoy the guest performance of the two ballets "Thamar & Sheherazade" performed by the Belarus Bolshoi Opera and Ballet Theatre.
Thamar:
Ballet in one act by Mily Balakirev
The original Mikhail Fokin’s choreography of 1912 is lost
Choreography: Yurius Smoriginas
Ballet Master: Andris Liepa
Music Director and Chief Conductor: Victor Ploskina
Decorations and costumes: Lev Bakst
Designer: Anna Nezhnaya
Artistic Director: Andrey Petrov
Choreographed by Michel Fokine, “Thamar” was first performed by Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on 20 May 1912, featuring Tamara Karsavina as Queen Thamar and Adolph Bolm as the Prince. “Thamar” was set to the symphonic poem of the same name by the composer, Mily Balakirev, which in turn was based on the literary work by Mikhail Lermontov.
The one act ballet begins as Thamar, Queen of Georgia, waves a scarf through her window to entice a passing suitor into her castle. When the Prince arrives she initially rejects his advances, however fervent dancing ensues and the pair kiss. They leave the room and the Queen’s followers continue dancing wildly. When the Queen and Prince re‐enter she suddenly stabs him and he falls through a secret panel into the river below. The Queen returns to the window to signal a new victim with her scarf.
The ballet was the last of six Orientalist ballets premiered by Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe between 1909 and 1912 from a list that includes “Scheherazade”, “Le Dieu Bleu” and “Cleopatra”. These ballets portrayed the East as wild and sensuous, violent and decadent.
Sheherazade:
Ballet in one act by Nikolai Rimsky‐Korsakov
Libretto by Mikhail Fokin, Lev Bakst
Choreography: Mikhail Fokin
Ballet Master: Andris Liepa
Music Director and Chief Conductor: Victor Ploskina
Designer: Lev Bakst
Renewal of the costumes and decorations: Anna and Anatoly Nezhniy
Artistic Directors: Andris Liepa, Andrey Petrov
The “One Thousand and One Nights” has had numerous incarnations in popular culture. One of the best known is a symphonic suite by the 19th‐century Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky‐Korsakov titled “Sheherazade”. That piece was set to a ballet in 1910 by the Ballet Russes, one of the most famous ballet companies of the 20th century, lead by Sergey Diaghilev.
The Shahriyar, the Sultan of ancient Persia, is enjoying the pleasures and entertainment of his concubines and favourite wife Zobeide. His brother suggests that Zobeide is unfaithful and recommends that they pretend to go on a hunting trip. As soon as the Sultan and his brother have departed, the concubines bribe the Chief Eunuch with gifts and flattery to unlock the gates and free the male slaves. Their release ignites an orgy within the harem. Zobeide chooses the handsome Golden Slave, and they fall into a passionate embrace. Once the revelry reaches its apex, the sultan returns unexpectedly. Enraged at Zobeide’s betrayal, he orders that all be killed. After all have perished and only Zobeide remains, the Shahriyar hesitates. She begs his forgiveness, but eventually realises the futility of it all. She then stabs herself, falling at the feet of the Sultan.
