Composer

:

Léo Delibes

Genre

:

Ballet

Style

:

Ballet

Compose Date

:

1866

Publication Date

:

1866

First Performance

:

Nov 12, 1866

Average_duration

:

45:31

La source, ou Naïla is a ballet composed by Léo Delibes in 1866. The plot of the ballet revolves around a young man named Djemil who falls in love with a beautiful water nymph named Naïla. The ballet is set in a magical world where the water nymphs live in a hidden spring, guarded by a genie named Nouredda. The ballet is divided into three movements. The first movement is set in the village of Djemil, where he falls in love with Naïla after seeing her dance. The second movement takes place in the magical world of the water nymphs, where Djemil is transported by Nouredda. In this world, Djemil and Naïla dance together and profess their love for each other. However, their happiness is short-lived as the jealous genie Nouredda intervenes and tries to keep them apart. The third movement takes place back in the village, where Djemil is reunited with Naïla. However, Nouredda continues to try and keep them apart, and in the end, Naïla sacrifices herself to save Djemil from the genie's wrath. The ballet ends with Djemil mourning the loss of his love. La source, ou Naïla premiered on November 12, 1866, at the Paris Opéra. The ballet was choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon and was a great success. The music of the ballet is characterized by its use of exotic melodies and rhythms, which were inspired by the Middle Eastern and North African cultures. Overall, La source, ou Naïla is a beautiful and romantic ballet that tells the story of love and sacrifice. The music is enchanting and the choreography is graceful and expressive. It remains a popular ballet to this day and is often performed by ballet companies around the world.

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