The Imperial Russian Ballet: The Classical Era

What influenced the rise of the Russian ballet at the end of the 19th century?

Decline of ballet popularity in France opened a door for Russia to take over as the leader in ballet.

Why is Marius Petipa considered the father of classical ballet

He traveled from France to Russia and choreographed a lot of what we think of as ballet now

Petipa’s major ballets

-Don Quixote

-La Bayadere

-Sleeping Beauty

-Swan Lake

-The Nutcracker

Characteristics of Petipa’s ballets

-quick movement

-formulaic and repetitive

-focus on ballerina and pointe work

-grand, symphonic music

-equilibrium

Petipa’s formula for the classical pas de deux

-adagio

-male variation

-female variation

-short male variation

-short female variation

-coda

Ballet values during the imperial russian ballet

virtuosity

Charles Didelot

1767-1837. swedish born french dancer, choreogrpaher, and teacher. credited with innovation flying dancers on stage using wire system

Maryinsky Theater

Where Petipa presented his work. Epicenter of ballet in Russia

Marius Petipa

1822-1910. created the first ballet that later would be classified as classical ballet. he held the position of Ballet Master in Chief to the Imperial Tsar in 1869. Though he did not create the original production of Swan Lake, he oversaw a revival of the ballet. he was a prolific choreographer who “masterminded” russian ballet through the end of the 19th century

Lev Ivanov

Petipa’s right hand man. choreographed a lot of Petipa’s ballets when he fell ill

Tchaikovsky

Musician during imperial times. Composed music for all Petipa’s hits: Swan lake, sleeping beauty, and Nutcracker. Gay

Pierina Legnani

1868-1930. italian ballerina. the first to star as Odette/Odile in 1895 Swan Lake. The first to do 32 fouettes in coda. Italian guest star in St. Petersburg

Virginia Zucchi

italian dancer who studied with Carlo Blasis in Milan. became famous in Russia and helped contribute to the development of the St. Petersburg ballet school. Teachings led the St. Petersburg ballet school to make greater demands of its dancers in terms of technical perfection

Mathilde Kschezzinska

Prima ballerina of imperial russian ballet

Olga Preobrajenska

ballerina of imperial russian ballet