Composer

:

Léon Minkus

Genre

:

Ballet

Style

:

Ballet

Compose Date

:

1877

Average_duration

:

72:25

La Bayadere is a ballet composed by Léon Minkus in 1877. The plot of the ballet is set in India and revolves around the love story of the temple dancer Nikiya and the warrior Solor. The ballet is divided into three acts and six scenes. Act I opens with a scene in the temple of the god Siva, where the High Brahmin declares his love for Nikiya, but she rejects him. Solor, who is in love with Nikiya, enters the temple and they exchange vows of eternal love. However, the Rajah of the kingdom has chosen Solor to marry his daughter Gamzatti, and Solor is torn between his love for Nikiya and his duty to the Rajah. Act II takes place in the palace of the Rajah, where Solor is celebrating his engagement to Gamzatti. Nikiya is invited to perform at the celebration, but Gamzatti, jealous of Nikiya, offers her a poisoned flower. Nikiya dies, and Solor, consumed by grief, is visited by the god Siva in a dream. Siva shows Solor a vision of Nikiya in the afterlife, and Solor vows to join her. Act III takes place in the Kingdom of the Shades, where Solor has entered the afterlife to be with Nikiya. The Shades, who are the spirits of dead temple dancers, welcome Solor and Nikiya and perform a dance for them. Solor and Nikiya dance together, but as the Shades disappear, Solor is left alone with his memories of Nikiya. La Bayadere premiered on February 4, 1877, at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow, Russia. The ballet was choreographed by Marius Petipa, who also choreographed other famous ballets such as Swan Lake and The Sleeping Beauty. The music of La Bayadere is characterized by its use of Indian melodies and rhythms, which were popular in Europe at the time. The ballet is known for its grand spectacle, including the Kingdom of the Shades scene in Act III, which features a corps de ballet of 32 dancers performing synchronized movements in a long, diagonal line. The ballet also features elaborate costumes and sets, including the temple of Siva and the palace of the Rajah. La Bayadere has been performed by many ballet companies around the world and has become a staple of the classical ballet repertoire. The ballet's themes of love, duty, and betrayal continue to resonate with audiences today.

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