Composer

:

Edouard Lalo

Genre

:

Ballet

Style

:

Ballet

Compose Date

:

1881 - 1882

First Performance

:

Mar 6, 1882

Average_duration

:

55:40

Movement_count

:

16

Movement ....

Namouna is a ballet composed by Edouard Lalo in 1881. The plot of the ballet revolves around a young sailor named Haroun who falls in love with a beautiful woman named Namouna. Namouna is a mysterious and alluring woman who captures the hearts of all who see her. Haroun is determined to win her love, but he must compete with a wealthy and powerful man named Selim, who also desires Namouna. The ballet is divided into four movements, each of which tells a different part of the story. The first movement introduces the characters and sets the scene. The second movement takes place at a party where Haroun and Selim both try to win Namouna's affections. The third movement is a dream sequence in which Haroun imagines himself as a prince and Namouna as his princess. The final movement is a grand finale in which Haroun and Namouna are reunited and dance together. One of the characteristics of Namouna is its use of exoticism. The ballet is set in an imaginary Middle Eastern land, and the music incorporates elements of Arabic and Turkish music. Lalo was inspired by the Orientalist movement, which was popular in France at the time and involved a fascination with the cultures of the Middle East and North Africa. Namouna premiered at the Paris Opera on April 7, 1882, and was a great success. The ballet was praised for its exoticism and its beautiful music. However, it was also criticized for its lack of a coherent plot and its reliance on spectacle. Despite its mixed reception, Namouna remains an important work in the history of ballet. It was one of the first ballets to incorporate exoticism and to use music from non-Western cultures. It also paved the way for other ballets that would explore similar themes, such as Scheherazade and The Firebird.

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