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Alina Somova
Alina Alekseevna Somova (; born 22 October 1985) is a Russian ballet dancer and principal dancer with the Mariinsky Ballet of Saint Petersburg. Early life When Somova was young, she went to a regular Saint Petersburg school and then to a special math school at her mother's insistence. She was not able to excel in sports like her mother wished due to Russia's political and economic transition in the 1990s. Because of this, she was then introduced to ballet at the Dance Krushok school for children where she was recognized for her physical gifts for dancing. After it came time to choose math or ballet, she claimed there was no choice and then admitted herself to a one-year pre-curriculum program at the Vaganova Academy, before embarking on the eight-year course. She was a prize-winner at the ''Vaganova-Prix'' International Ballet Competition in St. Petersburg in 2002, and graduated in 2003 under the class of Lyudmila Safronova. As of 2023, Somova has two children and lives in Georg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
The Sleeping Beauty (ballet)
''The Sleeping Beauty'' ( ) is a ballet in a prologue and three acts to music by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, his Opus 66, completed in 1889. It is the second of his three ballets and, at 160 minutes, his second-longest work in any genre. The original scenario was by Ivan Vsevolozhsky after Perrault's '' La belle au bois dormant'', or ''The Beauty Sleeping in the Forest''; the first choreographer was Marius Petipa. The premiere took place at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg on January 15, 1890, and from that year forward ''The Sleeping Beauty'' has remained one of the most famous ballets of all time. History Tchaikovsky was approached by the Director of the Imperial Theatres in St. Petersburg, Ivan Vsevolozhsky on 25 May 1888 about a possible ballet adaptation on the subject of the story of '' Undine''. It was later decided that Charles Perrault's '' La Belle au bois dormant'' would be the story for which Tchaikovsky would compose the music for the ballet. Tchaiko ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Tsar Maiden
''The Maiden Tsar'' (, Tsar-Maiden, Tsar-Maid) is a character in East Slavic folktales. It is best known from Alexander Afanasyev's eight-volume collection ''Narodnye russkie skazki'' (1855—1863), folktale "Царь-девица"; variants recorded in Orenburg Governorate (number 232) and Perm Governorate (number 233). The tale is classified - and gives its name - to tale type SUS 400/2, "", of the East Slavic Folktale Catalogue (). The East Slavic type corresponds, in the international catalogue of the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index, to tale type ATU 400, "The Quest for the Lost Wife". Synopsis by Afanasyev, 232 The synopsis below follows version 232. s:ru:Народные русские сказки (Афанасьев)/Царь-девица (Wikisource) In version 233 the protagonist is Vasily Tsarevich, son of tsar and tsarina. A merchant and his wife have a son who they name Ivan. The mother dies and the merchant puts Ivan in the care of a tutor, meanwhile, he marries agai ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Pierre Lacotte
Pierre Lacotte (4 April 1932 – 10 April 2023) was a French ballet dancer, choreographer, teacher, and company director. He specialised in the reconstruction of lost choreographies of romantic ballets. Early life Lacotte was born on 4 April 1932, his mother was a musician. As a child, he was interested in dance, and his family reluctantly allowed him to train under . In 1942, he entered the Paris Opera Ballet School, where he was taught by Ricaux, Serge Lifar, and Carlotta Zambelli. He also received private training with Lyubox Yegorova, Rousanne Sarkissian, and Nicolas Zverev. He graduated in 1946. Career Lacotte joined the Paris Opera Ballet in 1946. In 1950, he originated a major role in Lifar's ''Septuor''. He rose through the ranks, reaching the position of ''premier danseur'' in 1953. In 1954, he choreographed his first major work, ''La Nuit Est une Sorcière'', to music by Sidney Bechet, for Belgian television. The following year, hoping to pursue a career in choreog ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Marie Taglioni
Marie Taglioni, Comtesse de Voisins (23 April 1804 – 22 April 1884) was a Swedish-born ballet dancer of the Romantic ballet era partially of Italian descent, a central figure in the history of European dance. She spent most of her life in the Austrian Empire and France. She was one of the most celebrated ballerinas of the romantic ballet, which was cultivated primarily at Her Majesty's Theatre in London and at the Théâtre de l'Académie Royale de Musique of the Paris Opera Ballet. She is credited with (though not confirmed as) being the first ballerina to truly dance ''en pointe''. Early life Taglioni was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to the Italian choreographer Filippo Taglioni and the Swedish ballet dancer Sophie Karsten, maternal granddaughter of the Swedish opera singer Christoffer Christian Karsten and of the Polish opera singer and actress Sophie Stebnowska. Her brother, Paul (1808–1884), was also a dancer and an influential choreographer; they performed togethe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Pas De Deux
In ballet, a ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The ''pas de deux'' is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ballets, including ''Sleeping Beauty'', ''Swan Lake'', and '' Giselle''. It is most often performed by a male and a female (a ''danseur'' and a ''ballerina'') though there are exceptions, such as in the film '' White Nights'', in which a ''pas de deux'' is performed by Mikhail Baryshnikov and Gregory Hines. ''Grand pas de deux'' A ''grand pas de deux'' is a structured ''pas de deux'' that typically has five parts, consisting of an ''entrée'' (introduction), an ''adagio'', two variations (a solo for each dancer), and a ''coda'' (conclusion). It is effectively a suite of dances that share a common theme, often symbolic of a love story or the partnership inherent in love, with the dancers portraying expressions of affectionate feelings an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Lev Ivanov
Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet. As a performer with the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet, he achieved prominence after performing as an understudy in a benefit performance of ''La Fille Mal Gardée''. He is most famous as the choreographer of Acts II and IV of ''Swan Lake'', which include the ''Danse des petits cygnes, Dance of the Little Swans'', Act II of ''Cinderella (Fitinhof-Schell), Cinderella'', and ''The Nutcracker'', which he choreographed alongside Marius Petipa. Biography Ivanov entered the Moscow School of Dance, but in 1844 moved to Saint Petersburg where he studied at the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet, becoming an official member of the Corps de ballet in 1852. Among his teachers during this time were Jean-Antoine Petipa, Alexandr Pimenov, Pierre Frédéric Malavergne and Emile Gredlu (). ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Konstantin Sergeyev
Konstantin Mikhailovich Sergeyev (; – 1 April 1992) was a Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, ballet master, pedagogue and choreographer for the Kirov Theatre. When the Kirov Ballet returned to Leningrad from Perm (where it had been moved during the war), Sergeyev became the head choreographer of the company. His first major work was to re-stage Sergei Prokofiev's ''Cinderella'', which is still performed in the present day. His teachers at Leningrad State Choreographic Institute were Mariya Kozhukhova, Vladimir Ponomaryov, and Viktor Semyonov ( Marina Semyonova's first husband). His first wife Feya Balabina was a prima ballerina of the Kirov ballet, as was his second wife Natalia Dudinskaya. He danced with Dudinskaya at the 1946 premiere of his ''Cinderella'' production for the Kirov.Sergey Prokofiev. Sergei Prokofiev: Autobiography, Articles, Reminiscences. University Press of the Pacific Honolulu, 2000, p.290. Galina Ulanova was his partner between 1930 and 1940. Sergeye ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Vakhtang Chabukiani
Vakhtang Mikheilis dze Chabukiani (March 12, 1910April 6, 1992) was a Soviet and Georgian ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher. He is considered to be one of the most influential male ballet dancers of the 20th century, and is noted for creating the choreography of several of the most famous male variations of the classical ballet repertory, for example in ''Le Corsaire'', ''La Bayadère'', and ''Swan Lake''. He is also noted for his and 's 1941 revival of ''La Bayadère'' for the Kirov Ballet, which is still retained in the company's repertory and has served as the basis for many subsequent productions in Russia and abroad. Early life and career Born in Tbilisi to a Georgian father and a Latvian mother, Chabukiani graduated from the local Maria Perini Ballet Studio in 1924. He continued his studies at the Leningrad State Choreographic Institute (today the Vaganova Academy) between 1926 and 1929. He debuted at the Kirov State Academic Theatre of Opera and Ballet (today ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Le Corsaire
''Le Corsaire'' is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem '' The Corsair'' by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to the music of Adolphe Adam and other composers, it was first presented by the ballet of the Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra in Paris on 23 January 1856. All modern productions of ''Le Corsaire'' are derived from the revivals staged by the Ballet Master Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg throughout the mid to late 19th century. The ballet has many celebrated passages which are often excerpted from the full-length work and performed independently: the scene ''Le Jardin animé'', the ''Pas d’esclave'', the ''Pas de trois des odalisques'', and the so-called ''Le Corsaire pas de deux'' (music mostly by Riccardo Drigo), which is among classical ballet's most famous and performed excerpts. Synopsis Act 1 Scene 1 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Marius Petipa
Marius Ivanovich Petipa (; born Victor Marius Alphonse Petipa; 11 March 1818) was a French and Russian ballet dancer, pedagogue and choreographer. He is considered one of the most influential ballet masters and choreographers in ballet history. Petipa is noted for his long career as ''Premier maître de ballet'' (First Ballet Master) of the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatres, making him Ballet Master and principal choreographer of the Imperial Ballet (today known as the Mariinsky Ballet), a position he held from 1871 until 1903. Petipa created over fifty ballets, some of which have survived in versions either faithful to, inspired by, or reconstructed from his originals. He is most noted for ''The Pharaoh's Daughter'' (1862); ''Don Quixote (ballet), Don Quixote'' (1869); ''La Bayadère'' (1877); ''The Talisman (ballet), Le Talisman'' (1889); ''The Sleeping Beauty Ballet, The Sleeping Beauty'' (1890); ''The Nutcracker'' (choreographed jointly with Lev Ivanov) (1892); ''The Awakeni ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Jules Perrot
Jules-Joseph Perrot (18 August 181029 August 1892) was a French dancer and choreographer who later became Ballet Master of the Imperial Ballet in St. Petersburg, Russia. He created some of the most famous ballets of the 19th century including ''Pas de Quatre'', '' La Esmeralda'', '' Ondine'', and ''Giselle'' with Jean Coralli. From dancer to balletmaster The Lyon-born Perrot danced often with Marie Taglioni but their partnership was short-lived. She eventually refused to dance with him fearing that he would outshine her. He left the Opéra in 1835 to tour European dance centers such as London, Milan, Vienna and Naples, where he met and noticed the talent of Carlotta Grisi. He coached her and presented her to the world as the next great ballerina in an 1836 performance in London with himself as her partner.Review: ''King's Theatre'', in ''The Times'', Wednesday 13 April 1836, p. 5, column C. Following the success of his contributions to the choreography of ''Giselle'', Perrot ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
Jean Coralli
Jean Coralli (15 January 1779 – 1 May 1854) was a French ballet dancer and choreographer, best known for collaborating with Jules Perrot in creating ''Giselle'' (1841), the quintessential Romantic ballet of the nineteenth century. Early life and career Born Giovanni Coralli Peracini, he was a son of a Bolognese family resident in Paris, where his father was a comedian at the Théâtre Italien. As a child he studied at the ballet school of the Paris Opera but chose to go to Vienna to make his debut as a dancer and choreographer. He danced for a short while at the Paris Opera in 1802 and at the King's Theatre in London and then returned to Vienna to assume the position of ballet master at the Hoftheater (Court Theater). During these early years, he and his wife formed the celebrated dancing couple Giovanni and Teresa Coralli and were often pictured in contemporary prints. They danced leading roles in most of the ballets that Coralli created at the Hoftheater, including ''Helena ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] [Amazon] |
