''Sylvia'', originally ''Sylvia, ou La nymphe de Diane'', is a full-length

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

in two or three

acts The Acts of the Apostles ( grc-koi, Πράξεις Ἀποστόλων, ''Práxeis Apostólōn''; la, Actūs Apostolōrum) is the fifth book of the New Testament; it tells of the founding of the Christian Church and the spread of its message ...

, first

choreographed Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who cr ...

Louis Mérante Louis Alexandre Mérante (23 July 1828–Courbevoie, 17 July 1887) was a dancer and choreographer, the ''Maître de Ballet'' (First Balletmaster/Chief Choreographer) of the Paris Opera Ballet at the Salle Le Peletier until its destruction by fire i ...

to music by

Léo Delibes Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (; 21 February 1836 – 16 January 1891) was a French Romantic composer, best known for his ballets and operas. His works include the ballets ''Coppélia'' (1870) and '' Sylvia'' (1876) and the opera ''Lakm� ...

in 1876. ''Sylvia'' is a typical

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as pointe work, turnout of the legs, and high extensions), its ...

in many respects, yet it has many interesting features that make it unique. The work is notable for its mythological Arcadian setting, creative choreographies, expansive sets and, above all, its remarkable score. When ''Sylvia, ou La nymphe de Diane'' premiered on 14 June 1876 at the

Palais Garnier The Palais Garnier (, Garnier Palace), also known as Opéra Garnier (, Garnier Opera), is a 1,979-seatBeauvert 1996, p. 102. opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from ...

, it went largely unnoticed by the critics. The first seven productions of ''Sylvia'' were not commercially successful. The 1952 revival, choreographed by

Sir Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositi ...

, popularized the ballet. The 1997, 2004, 2005 and 2009 productions were all based on Ashton's original choreography.

History

Preparations

The origins of the

''Sylvia'' are in the Italian poet Tasso's play ''

Aminta ''Aminta'' is a play written by Torquato Tasso in 1573, represented during a garden party at the court of Ferrara. Both the actors and the public were noble persons living at the Court, who could understand subtle allusions the poet made to tha ...

'' (1573), which provided the basic plot for the French composer Leo Delibes to set to music.

Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré. He was a noted Parisian bon vivant and man of letters.Baron de Reinach adapted this for the

Paris Opera The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

. The piano arrangement was composed in 1876 and the

orchestral suite A suite, in Western classical music and jazz, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/ concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes and grew in scope to comprise up to five dances, sometimes with ...

was done in 1880. In 1875, the Paris Opera chose Barbier and Reinach's

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

for ''Sylvia''. The decision to invite

choreograph Choreography is the art or practice of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer is one who ...

the ballet was based primarily on Mérante's experience in the field and position as the ''premier maître de ballet'' at the Paris Opera. Other suitable choreographers were unavailable. Rehearsals for ''Sylvia'' began on 15 August 1875, when only the first third of the music was complete. Delibes revised his music throughout the rehearsal period, helped by Mérante and the lead dancer Rita Sangalli. The score's development was made more difficult by Mérante, who demanded that Delibes make changes to the score to accommodate the choreography.

1876 premiere

''Sylvia, ou la nymphe de Diane'' was the first ballet to be shown at the newly built

Opera Garnier The Palais Garnier (, Garnier Palace), also known as Opéra Garnier (, Garnier Opera), is a 1,979-seatBeauvert 1996, p. 102. opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from ...

. The scenery for the ballet, designed by the artist

Jules Chéret Jules Chéret (31 May 1836 – 23 September 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of ''Belle Époque'' poster art. He has been called the father of the modern poster. Early life and career Born in Paris to a poor but ...

, was lavish but suffered from poor

stage lighting Stage lighting is the craft of lighting as it applies to the production of theater, dance, opera, and other performance arts.

. The costumes, designed by Lacoste were well appreciated. In the end it was Delibes' score that saved the production. Without such highly esteemed music, the ballet would have soon drifted into obscurity. At the age of 27, Sangalli was the Opéra's principal

ballerina A ballet dancer ( it, ballerina fem.; ''ballerino'' masc.) is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet; however, dancers have a strict hierarchy and strict gender roles. They rely on yea ...

and thus the obvious choice to star as Sylvia. Sangalli was described as having a "superb physique", but not spectacular dancing skills. Nonetheless, she was the only ballerina taught the rôle, and on one occasion the ballet had to be temporarily closed when she injured herself.

1901 Russian production

Among the important versions of ''Sylvia, ou la nymphe de Diane'' that followed the original 1876 production in Paris was one presented by the

Imperial Ballet The Mariinsky Ballet (russian: Балет Мариинского театра) is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russ ...

at the

Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre ( rus, Мариинский театр, Mariinskiy teatr, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic theatre of opera and ballet in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music th ...

St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

, Russia on . The ballet had been performed in Russia before. In 1886 the ballerina Antonietta Dell'Era, notable for creating the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaiko ...

'', had performed excerpts from ''Sylvia'' at the Arcadia Theatre of St. Petersburg, and in 1892,

Carlotta Brianza Carlotta Brianza (1867–1930) was an Italian prima ballerina, dancing with La Scala in Milan and later with the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. Biography Born in Milan, Brianza studied at the ballet school of La Scala under Carlo B ...

, who created the role of Princess Aurora in '' The Sleeping Beauty'', performed the full-length work at the Fantasia Theatre in Moscow. The Mariinsky Theatre's production was originally planned for the 1900–1901 season in a staging supervised by

Sergei Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪˈrɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), usually referred to outside Russia as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, pat ...

, with décors and costumes designed by

Alexandre Benois Alexandre Nikolayevich Benois (russian: Алекса́ндр Никола́евич Бенуа́, also spelled Alexander Benois; ,Salmina-Haskell, Larissa. ''Russian Paintings and Drawings in the Ashmolean Museum''. pp. 15, 23-24. Published by ...

and choreography by the brothers Sergei and

Nikolai Legat Nikolai Gustavovich Legat (russian: Никола́й Густа́вович Лега́т) (30 December 1869, Moscow – 24 January 1937, London) was a premier dancer with the Russian Imperial Ballet from 1888 to 1914, and also with the Mariin ...

. But differences between Diaghilev and the director of the

Imperial Theatres Imperial Theatres of Russian Empire ( rus, Императорские театры Российской империи) was a theatrical organization financed by the Imperial exchequer and managed by a single directorate headed with a director; was ...

Serge Wolkonsky Prince Serge Wolkonsky (also referred to as Sergei Mikhailovitch Volkonsky; russian: Серге́й Миха́йлович Волко́нский) (4 May 1860 – 25 October 1937) was an influential Russian theatrical worker, one of the first R ...

, led to the project's cancellation as well as the end of Diaghilev's association with the Imperial Theatres, an event that led Diaghilev to eventually form the original

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Revolution disrupted society. A ...

in 1909. Nevertheless, the ballet was rescheduled for the 1901–1902 season in a version mounted by the Imperial Theatre's '

Lev Ivanov Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (russian: link=no, Лев Ива́нович Ива́нов; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Imperial Ballet. ...

, whose death in December 1901 caused the director to hand the project over to the noted '

Pavel Gerdt Pavel Andreyevich Gerdt (russian: Па́вел Андре́евич Ге́рдт), also known as Paul Gerdt (near Saint Petersburg, Russia, 22 November 1844 – Vamaloki, Finland, 12 August 1917), was the ''Premier Danseur Noble'' of the Imperial ...

. Ivanov changed the ballet's title to ''Sylvia''. The cast included the great ''prima ballerina''

Olga Preobrajenska Olga Iosifovna Preobrajenska (russian: О́льга Ио́сифовна Преображе́нская; born Preobrazhenskaya; – 27 December 1962) was a Russian ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet and a ballet instructor. Biogra ...

in the title role and the danseur Sergei Legat as the shepherd Aminta. Also included among the ballet's secondary characters was a young

Agrippina Vaganova Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova (russian: Агриппина Яковлевна Ваганова; 26 June 1879 – 5 November 1951) was a Soviet and Russian ballet teacher who developed the Vaganova method – the technique which derived from the te ...

as a nymph of the Goddess Diana, and Pavel Gerdt in the rôle of Orion. Although the dances of the ballerina Preobrajenska were a great success, the first performance was not. The editor-publisher of the , , himself a ballet expert and noted for co-authoring the librettos for several ballets staged at the Mariinsky, was one of several critics who complained that the Ivanov/Gerdt choreography was of poor quality, and that the libretto was extremely slight. Another element that contributed to the ballet's failure was the fact that the direction did not allow any new décors to be created, and instead sets were utilized from works that were no longer being performed. After five performances ''Sylvia'' was removed from the company's

repertoire A repertoire () is a list or set of dramas, operas, musical compositions or roles which a company or person is prepared to perform. Musicians often have a musical repertoire. The first known use of the word ''repertoire'' was in 1847. It is a l ...

; excerpts from the ballet were included in gala events. The ballerina

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova ( , rus, Анна Павловна Павлова ), born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova ( rus, Анна Матвеевна Павлова; – 23 January 1931), was a Russian prima ballerina of the late 19th and the early 20th ...

occasionally included many of these extracts from the 1902 production on her world tours in a revised staging by balletmaster

Ivan Clustine Ivan Nikolayevich Khlyustin (russian: Иван Николаевич Хлюстин; 22 August 1862 – 21 November 1941), usually referred to outside Russia as Ivan Clustine, was a Russian dancer, ballet master, and choreographer. He was "offered ...

. In attendance for one of her London appearances was a young

Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositi ...

, whose memories of Pavlova's performance would inspire him to create his own renowned version in 1952, for the ballerina

Margot Fonteyn Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias DBE (''née'' Hookham; 18 May 191921 February 1991), known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn, was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with the Royal Ballet (formerly the Sadler's Wells T ...

Other productions

1952: The Royal Ballet

Ashton re-choreographed ''Sylvia'' in 1952.Watts, Graham (2004)
"Royal Ballet's ''Sylvia'' Review from ballet.co"
. Retrieved June 5, 2005. He placed a strong emphasis on the lead role, and designed the ballet as a tribute to Fonteyn. The American drama critic Clive Barnes noted that "the whole ballet is a garland presented to the ballerina by her choreographer." Ashton's production was performed by the

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded in ...

at the

Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. It is the home of The Royal Op ...

, London on 3 September 1952. Ashton adjusted Barbier's libretto to increase the audience's interest in the story. Along with Fonteyn, Aminta was played by

Michael Somes Michael George Somes CBE (28 September 191718 November 1994), was an English ballet dancer. He was a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, London, and the frequent partner of Margot Fonteyn. Early years Somes was born in Horsley, Gloucestersh ...

, and Orion by John Hart and Eros by Alexander Grant.

2004: San Francisco Ballet

When the

San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Franc ...

opened their production of ''Sylvia'' in April 2004, it was the first time that the full ballet was shown in the United States. This production is also the only recent one not to be based on Ashton's work. At the request of Helgi Tomasson, Mark Morris choreographed it based on the original 1876 production and adhered quite closely to Mérante's methodology and style. As Morris said, "I'm using the score and libretto exactly as they're built". Morris's reasoning behind this is quite simple: the nature of the music is inextricably intertwined with Louis Mérante's choreography, a consequence of the circumstances of composition. Because of this, Morris's revival of ''Sylvia'' is very true to the original, more so than any other recent production. The San Francisco Ballet performed ''Sylvia'' from April 21 through May 7, 2006, after successful runs in 2004 and 2005. At the premiere in 2004, the lead was

Yuan Yuan Tan Yuan Yuan Tan (; born February 14, 1976) is a Chinese ballet dancer who is principal dancer with the San Francisco Ballet. Biography She entered Shanghai Dance School at the age of 11. Initially her father opposed this, as he wanted her to ...

.Simpson, Michael Wade (May 3, 2004)
"Morris' 'Sylvia' forgoes showy dancing for an old-fashioned, irony-free romance"
''San Francisco Chronicle''. Retrieved June 29, 2005.

2004: Royal Ballet

This production of ''Sylvia'', the

's third, performed November 4 to December 3, 2004, as a part of the "Ashton 100" celebration, a season dedicated to the company's founder. The ballet was recreated by

Christopher Newton Christopher Newton (11 June 1936 – 20 December 2021) was a Canadian director and actor, who served as artistic director of the Shaw Festival from 1980 to 2002. Early life and education Newton was born in Deal, Kent, England and educated at ...

who (from both mental and visual records) reconstructed Ashton's original choreography and staged it for the Royal Ballet. While it ran, there were three different casts. The first consisted of

Darcey Bussell Dame Darcey Andrea Bussell, (born Marnie Mercedes Darcey Pemberton Crittle; 27 April 1969) is an English retired ballerina and a former judge on the BBC television dance contest '' Strictly Come Dancing''. Trained at the Arts Educational Sc ...

and Jonathan Cope, the second of

Zenaida Yanowsky Zenaida Yanowsky, Lady Keenlyside (born 23 December 1975), is a French-born Spanish ballet dancer and a former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet in London. Early life Yanowsky was born in Lyon, France, where her parents, Russian ballet dan ...

and David Makhateli and the third of

Marianela Núñez Marianela Núñez (born 23 March 1982) is a British-Argentinian ballet dancer. She is a principal dancer with The Royal Ballet, London. Early life Marianela Núñez was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She has three brothers, all older than sh ...

and Rupert Pennefather."''Sylvia'': The Royal Ballet"
Retrieved January 25, 2012

2005: American Ballet Theatre

Ashton's ''Sylvia'' was also recently re-staged by

for The Metropolitan Opera House, where it was recently performed by the

American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant, it is recognized as one of the world's leading classical ballet companies. Through 2019, it had an annual ei ...

. Newton's version is shortened (originally the ballet included some music from '' La Source'') to be shown in two acts, with a musical break in place of the second intermission. The last production at the Metropolitan Opera, as of June 4, 2005, had

Paloma Herrera Paloma Herrera (born 21 December 1975) is a prominent Argentine ballet dancer, choreographer, and artistic director who was a principal dancer with American Ballet Theatre, where she worked for twenty-four years. She was the director of Colo ...

cast as Sylvia,

Angel Corella In various theistic religious traditions an angel is a supernatural spiritual being who serves God. Abrahamic religions often depict angels as benevolent celestial intermediaries between God (or Heaven) and humanity. Other roles include ...

as Aminta, Jesus Pastor as Orion, Craig Salstein as Eros and Carmen Corella as Diana.

2019: Houston Ballet

Choreographed by

Stanton Welch Stanton De Burgh Welch (born 1969) is an Australian dancer and choreographer. He currently serves as the Artistic Director of the Houston Ballet. Early life Welch was born in Melbourne to Marilyn Jones and Garth Welch, two prominent Australian ...

AM of the

Houston Ballet Houston Ballet, operated by Houston Ballet Foundation, is a professional ballet company based in Houston, Texas. The company, consisting of 59 dancers, produces over 85 performances per year. History Tatiana Semenova (1955–1967) Houston dev ...

, this 2019 production of ''Sylvia'' was co-produced with

The Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur and direct ...

. Welch returned to the three-act format and elevated the roles of some of minor characters. He was joined by Jérôme Kaplan for sets and costumes, Lisa J. Pinkham for lighting, and Wendall K. Harrington for effects achieved with projections. The lead roles of Sylvia and the shepherd alternated between two duos: Karina Gonzalez and Connor Walsh, and Nozomi Iijima and Ian Casady. The production subsequently made its Australian premiere in November 2019 at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in Sydney. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive buildings and a masterpiece of 20th-century architec ...

Style

''Sylvia'' is a

. It features a nondescript mythical setting and a late nineteenth-century score, both of which give it an old-fashioned feel. In many ways, however, it was quite revolutionary for its time. The score was and still is recognized for its greatness. Delibes' work is certainly the best appreciated aspect of the ballet for its innovation, creativity, and maturity. Frederick Ashton's choreography complements the music very well in this respect, staying true to the spirit of the original production while incorporating modern techniques and adding his own unique touch.

Music

''Sylvia'', and ''

Coppélia ''Coppélia'' (sometimes subtitled: ''La Fille aux Yeux d'Émail'' (The Girl with the Enamel Eyes)) is a comic ballet from 1870 originally choreographed by Arthur Saint-Léon to the music of Léo Delibes, with libretto by Charles-Louis-Éti ...

'' before it, are often touted as two of the first modern ballets for their novel scores.Vaughan, David (2004)
"Frederick Ashton and His Ballets"
Retrieved June 5, 2005.

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most popu ...

himself remarked to fellow composer

Sergei Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich Taneyev (russian: Серге́й Ива́нович Тане́ев, ; – ) was a Russian composer, pianist, teacher of composition, music theorist and author. Life Taneyev was born in Vladimir, Vladimir Governorate, Russia ...

upon the ingenuity of ''Sylvia'', calling it "... the first ballet, where the music constitutes not only the main, but the only interest. What charm, what elegance, what richness of melody, rhythm, harmony." While this statement may be a little hyperbolic, it says something very important about the uniqueness of the ballet. ''Sylvia''s score is varied and rich, and it stands out, drawing the focus from the sets, the dancers, the costumes. Instead of receding into the background, setting only the mood, Delibes' score sets the action. The music of ''Sylvia'' was also notable for its new, more developed use of

leitmotif A leitmotif or leitmotiv () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is an anglici ...

s. Such a stylistic choice is characteristic of Delibes, who was a great admirer of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most op ...

. Indeed, echoes of Wagner's influence are quite obvious in the music such as its "symphonic" nature, as described by

Ivor Forbes Guest Ivor Forbes Guest DUniv MA FRAD (14 April 1920 – 30 March 2018) was a British historian and writer, best known for his study of ballet. He was chairman of the Royal Academy of Dance for twenty three years (1970–93) and has been a Vice-Pr ...

in the 1954 edition of '' The Ballet Annual''. Another interesting choice of Delibes was his pronounced use of brass and wind instruments, especially in the characteristically powerful '' prelude''. Delibes was also one of the first composers to write for the

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B tenor ...

, an instrument used extensively in the heavier

wind Wind is the natural movement of air or other gases relative to a planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heating of land surfaces and lasting a few hou ...

sections such as the

barcarolle A barcarolle (; from French, also barcarole; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from ''barca'' 'boat') is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style. In classical music, two of the ...

in Act III. The prelude to the first act and the ''pizzicati'' in the third are the significantly more famous sections of this already notable score. The latter, the more famous, is a well-known example of

pizzicato Pizzicato (, ; translated as "pinched", and sometimes roughly as "plucked") is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of instrument : * On bowed ...

style. This section is, according to ''

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language ''Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and theo ...

'', "traditionally played in a halting, hesitant style that appears to have been no part of Delibes's conception." Tchaikovsky's ''Swan Lake'' was written just before ''Sylvia'' was released and is generally considered one of the best ballets of the era. However, Tchaikovsky himself preferred ''Sylvia'' to his own work, calling his own masterpiece "poor stuff in comparison". Tchaikovsky said to

, "I was ashamed. If I had known this music early then, of course, I would not have written ''Swan Lake''".

Choreography

Choreographically, ''Sylvia'' was also ahead of its time. Merante's 1876 choreography (and all subsequent) was considered quite rebellious for casting ballerinas as masculine huntresses,China Daily (2005)
Chinese Ballerinas Pirouette for Sylvia
. Retrieved July 6, 2005. unheard of at the time. Despite such innovations, the original choreography for ''Sylvia'' was still very much of late Romantic-era ballet. Ashton's ''Sylvia'' is much more contemporary, and while retaining a classic feel, it has been modernized. In the 1952 choreography, ''Sylvia'' incorporated new and interesting techniques such as the blending of mime and dance and more intricate footwork, as are typical of Ashton's works. As writer Arnold Haskell said, "he accepts the challenge in Sylvia of coping with period music without descending to pastiche; and never once does the movement he provides strike us as modern or as 'old world'".

Gillian Murphy Gillian Murphy ( ; born April 11, 1979) is an American ballet dancer who is a principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre. Early life and education Raised in Florence, South Carolina, Murphy was a member of Columbia City Ballet before att ...

, the lead rôle in the 2005 ABT production, noted this choreography was very challenging. Ashton designed the ballet specifically around Fonteyn's talent and skill. Thus, any who play the part must be able to do everything she could, and at the time "the range of her dancing asunequalled"(Barnes). It is notable that this choreography features a few difficult ''

pas de deux In ballet, a pas de deux (French language, 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 fo ...

'', including a spectacular one in the third act, which constitutes the climax of the ballet.

Characters

Lead roles

* Sylvia – A chaste huntress nymph, loyal to Diana, object of Aminta's desire. * Aminta – A simple shepherd boy who is in love with Sylvia. Parallels can be drawn to

Endymion Endymion primarily refers to: * Endymion (mythology), an Ancient Greek shepherd * ''Endymion'' (poem), by John Keats Endymion may also refer to: Fictional characters * Prince Endymion, a character in the ''Sailor Moon'' anime franchise * Raul ...

, another shepherd who was Diana's young love. *

Eros In Greek mythology, Eros (, ; grc, Ἔρως, Érōs, Love, Desire) is the Greek god of love and sex. His Roman counterpart was Cupid ("desire").''Larousse Desk Reference Encyclopedia'', The Book People, Haydock, 1995, p. 215. In the earli ...

– The

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

god of love, focal in the ballet as an object of great worship and scorn. * Diana – The

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

goddess of the hunt and chastity. It is at Diana's temple that the bacchanal in the third act takes place. * Orion – An evil hunter who stalks Sylvia and kidnaps her. Source:

Minor roles

* Hunt attendants—Sylvia's posse of female hunters. * Goats – Two goats that are about to be sacrificed as a tribute to

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; grc, wikt:Διόνυσος, Διόνυσος ) is the god of the grape-harvest, winemaking, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstas ...

, but are saved by the commotion caused by Orion. *

Naiads In Greek mythology, the naiads (; grc-gre, ναϊάδες, naïádes) are a type of female spirit, or nymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water. They are distinct from river gods, who ...

Dryads A dryad (; el, Δρυάδες, ''sing''.: ) is a tree nymph or tree spirit in Greek mythology. ''Drys'' (δρῦς) signifies " oak" in Greek, and dryads were originally considered the nymphs of oak trees specifically, but the term has evolved t ...

Fauns The faun (, grc, φαῦνος, ''phaunos'', ) is a half-human and half-goat mythological creature appearing in Greek and Roman mythology. Originally fauns of Roman mythology were spirits (genii) of rustic places, lesser versions of their c ...

* Peasants Source:

Libretto

The

of ''Sylvia'' is often regarded as one of the ballet's weak points. The simple plot does not allow for much acting nor is it especially gripping. Indeed, when Frederick Ashton rechoreographed the ballet in the 1950s, he tried to rework the story to be more interesting (while still retaining its classical themes) because he recognized this aspect of the ballet as a potential pitfall. Morris simplified the story — for his 2004 production — for the same reasons. He called it, "a big wonderful mishmash of mythology and history", so he changed it to make it more, "clear and beautiful".

Act I: A Sacred Wood

The ballet begins with a scene of worship as creatures of the forest dance before

. Aminta, a lowly shepherd, stumbles in on them, disrupting their ritual. Now Sylvia, the object of Aminta's desire, arrives on the scene with her posse of hunters to mock the god of love. Aminta attempts to conceal himself, but Sylvia eventually discovers her stalker and, inflamed, turns her bow towards Eros. Aminta protects the deity and is himself wounded. Eros in turn shoots Sylvia. She is hit, and though not badly wounded, the injury is enough to drive her offstage. A hunter, Orion, is revealed to also have been watching Sylvia, when he is seen celebrating the unconscious Aminta. Orion conceals himself again as Sylvia returns; this time she is sympathetic towards Aminta. As the huntress laments over her victim, she is kidnapped by Orion and carried off. Peasants grieve over Aminta's figure until a cloaked Eros revives the shepherd. Eros reveals his true identity and informs Aminta of Orion's actions.

Act II: Orion's Island Cave

Captive in Orion's island hideout, Sylvia is tempted by him with jewels and wine to no avail. Sylvia now grieves over Aminta, cherishing the arrow pulled from her breast nostalgically. When Orion steals it from her, Sylvia gets her captor drunk until he is unconscious, whereby she retrieves her arrow and appeals to Eros for help. Sylvia's invocations are not in vain, for Eros quickly arrives and shows his summoner a vision of Aminta waiting for her. The duo depart for the temple of Diana, where Sylvia's love awaits.

Act III: The Sea Coast near the Temple of Diana

Aminta arrives at the temple of Diana to find a bacchanal but no Sylvia, who will soon arrive with Eros. After a few moments of mirth at the reunion, Orion shows up, seeking Sylvia. He and Aminta fight; Sylvia barricades herself in Diana's shrine and Orion attempts to follow. The goddess of the hunt, outraged at this act, smites Orion and denies Aminta and Sylvia congress. Compassionate Eros gives Diana a vision. The goddess reminisces over her own young love of

, also a shepherd. Diana has a change of heart and repeals her decree. Aminta and Sylvia come together under the deities' good will.

Résumé of dances and scenes

Taken from the original 1876 theatrical program of the Paris Opéra. Act I *No. 01 ''Prélude'' *No. 02 ''Scène du bois sacré d'Éros'' *No. 03 ''Le Berger–Entrée d'Aminta'' *No. 04 ''Grand pas des chasseresses—'' ::—a. ''Sortie'' ::—b. ''Valse lente'' *No. 05 ''Scène'' *No. 06 ''Cortège rustique'' *No. 07 ''Scène'' *No. 08 ''Finale–Entrée du sorcier'' Sylviascore

Act II *No. 09 ''Entr'acte'' *No. 10 ''La grotte d'Orion'' *No. 11 ''Pas des Éthiopiens'' *No. 12 ''Chant bacchique'' *No. 13 ''Scène et danse de la Bacchante'' *No. 14 ''Scène finale'' Act III *No. 15 ''Grand cortège de Bacchus'' *No. 16 ''Scène'' *No. 17 ''Danse barcarolle'' *No. 18 ''Divertissement—'' ::—a. ''Pizzicato dansée Mlle. Rita Sangalli'' ::—b. ''Pas d'andante'' ::—c. ''Pas des esclaves'' ::—d. ''Variation dansée Mons. Louis Mérante'' ::—e. ''Galop générale'' *No. 19 ''Finale–Le temple de Diane'' *No. 20 ''Apothéose–L'apparition d'Endymion''

List of productions

This list mentions only full-length or otherwise significant productions; however, there have been many performances of short excerpts, especially in London.

In popular culture

In the 1892 novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith ''

The Diary of a Nobody ''The Diary of a Nobody'' is an English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith, with illustrations by the latter. It originated as an intermittent serial in ''Punch'' magazine in 1888–89 and first appeared in book for ...

'', Carrie Pooter practises the Sylvia Gavotte on the Pooters' new cottage piano, 'bought on the three years system, manufactured by W. Bilkson (in small letters) from Collard and Collard (in very large letters)'. In the 1931 Marx Brothers film '' Monkey Business'',

Chico Marx Leonard Joseph "Chico" Marx (; March 22, 1887 – October 11, 1961) was an American comedian, actor and pianist. He was the oldest brother in the Marx Brothers comedy troupe, alongside his brothers Adolph ("Harpo"), Julius ("Groucho"), Milton ...

plays the pizzicato on the piano, racing against the orchestra, and says, "Hah, I beat you that time!" The theme song from the 1982 television series ''

Knight Rider ''Knight Rider'' is an American entertainment franchise created by Glen A. Larson. The core of ''Knight Rider'' is its three television series: the original ''Knight Rider'' (1982–1986) and sequel series ''Team Knight Rider'' (1997–1998) ...

'' is based on "Cortège de Bacchus" from the third act.The series DVD bonus material contains an interview about this lead music, where Glen A. Larson says he remembers a theme out of a classical piece ("Marche Et Cortège De Bacchus" Act III – No. 14 from Sylvia written by French composer

) from which he took pieces for the "Knight Rider Theme". In one episode of ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and featuring the Muppets. The series originated as two pilot episodes produced by Henson for ABC in 1974 and 1975. While neither episode was moved forward as a ser ...

'', the pizzicato is played in one sketch that features characters with balloons for heads, including the conductor, who leads the balloon-headed orchestra into popping their heads in time. The sketch ends with the conductor popping his own balloon head.

References

Sources

* *

External links

Full length video
on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

(2005), choreography by

, with

Roberto Bolle Roberto Bolle (born March 26, 1975 in Casale Monferrato) is an Italian danseur. He is currently a ''principal dancer'' with the American Ballet Theatre and a principal dancer ''étoile'' at La Scala Theatre Ballet. Bolle also dances regularly a ...

, and

Thiago Soares Thiago Soares (born 18 May 1981) is a Brazilian ballet dancer and choreographer. He is a former principal dancer with The Royal Ballet in London, and guest principal in other theatres around the world. Early life Born in 1981 in Rio de Janeir ...

{{Authority control 1876 ballet premieres Ballets by Frederick Ashton Ballets by Jules Barbier Ballets by Léo Delibes Ballets by Louis Mérante Ballets by Jacques de Reinach Ballets premiered at the Paris Opera Ballet Ballets created for The Royal Ballet