Classical Ballet Cesare Pugni "Esmeralda" (Ballet in three acts)
World famous Bolshoi Ballet and Opera theatre (established 1776) - Small Stage
Schedule for Cesare Pugni "Esmeralda" (Ballet in three acts) 2022
Light Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Costume Designer: Helen Zaytseva
Choreography: Marius Petipa
Composer: Cesare Pugni
Designer of scenery: Alyona Pikalova
Choreography: Yuri Burlaka
Choreography: Vasily Medvedev
Orchestra: Bolshoi Theatre Symphony Orchestra
Libretto by Jules Perrot after Victor Hugo
Choreography by Marius Petipa
Staging and new choreographic version: Yuri Burlaka,
Vasily Medvedev
Conductor: Pavel Klinichev
Designer: Alyona Pikalova
Costume Designer: Yelena Zaytseva
Lighting Designer: Damir Ismagilov
Archive research and coordination - Sergei Konyaev
Scenography based on sketches by Orest Allegri, Ivan Andreyev, Pavel Isakov, Antonio Fornari, Vasily Shirayev
Ivan Vsevolozhsky's costume sketches used in the production
Sketches of sets and costumes made available by the St.Petersburg State Museum of Theatre and Music and the St.Petersburg State Theatre Library
Use is made of music by Riccardo Drigo, Anton Simon, Pyotr Shenk and of the Reinhold Gliere orchestration
Separate fragments of the choreography are reconstructed on the basis of materials in the possession of The Harvard Theatre Collection
Music dramaturgy conception - Yuri Burlaka
The original Cesar Pugni score has been restored by Alexander Troitsky on the basis of archive materials in the possession of La Biblioteca del Conservatorio San Pietro a Majella -Napoli and the Bolshoi Theatre Music Library
Choreography of Pas de Diane - Agrippina Vaganova after Marius Petipa motifs
Synopsis
Act 1
The Court of Miracles
Poet Pierre Gringoire finds himself in the den of thieves, tramps and beggars, called the Court of Miracles. Their leader Claupin Troulfout thinks that nothing can come of the poet, and orders to hang him. There is a law at the court, however, according to which a woman can save the man condemned to death, if she agrees to become his wife. And it is only Esmeralda — a dearly-beloved gypsy-woman — who feels sorry for Gringoire and agrees to save his life. Occupants of Court wildly celebrate their wedding... Hunchback Quasimodo, by the order of his master — priest Claude Frollo who is in love with Esmeralda — tries to abduct her for him. But soldiers with Phoebus de Chateaupers at the head arrive and ruin their plan. Frollo escapes but Quasimodo is captured by soldiers. Fascinated by Esmeralda’s beauty, Phoebus gives the girl his scarf yielding to her request sets hunchback free. He demands a kiss as a reward, but the girl slips off his embrace...
First Night
Esmeralda is alone in her box-room. She is in love with Phoebus and looks lovingly at his scarf, uttering his name again and again.
Gringoire comes and makes an attempt to embrace his young wife. But Esmeralda takes out a dagger and thus brings the miserable poet to his senses: he can only be her companion good enough to dance with her in the streets. Frustrated Gringoire has to leave. Frollo gets into Esmeralda’s room, leaving Quasimodo behind the door. He pleads the girl to give a response to his passion. Esmeralda explains that she loves a young officer and orders the priest to leave her. Furious Frollo nurtures plans of revenge.
Act II
Fleur-de Lys
In the castle garden of Madame de Gondelaurier preparations for the wedding ceremony of Fleur-de-Lys and Phoebus de Chateaupers are underway. Phoebus appears and absent-mindedly kisses Fleur’s hand. To her surprise, Fleur doesn’t see the scarf on him which she has given to her fiance as a gift.
Festivities begin. Guests are entertained by gypsies, invited specially on the occasion. Among them are Esmeralda and Gringoire. The young gypsy dancer takes Phoebus’s betrothal very hard. Gringoire makes an attempt to comfort her but fails.
Fleur notices that Esmeralda is wearing the scarf — her gift to Phoebus. Shocked by her fiance’s betrayal, she tears her gift out of the dancer’s hands casting reproaches upon him. Gringoire takes Esmeralda away, protecting her from the guests’ anger. Phoebus runs after them.
Act III
Love and jealousy
Frollo hides himself in the tavern waiting for Esmeralda to come. Phoebus and the gypsy woman appear. Trembling with joy Esmeralda listens to the young officer’s passionate declaration of love.
Unable to bear this scene any longer, Frollo with a dagger in his hand throws himself upon Phoebus... The guards arrive and take away Esmeralda who is charged by Claude Frollo with the murder of the officer.
The festival of jesters
On the square in front of the Notre-Dame de Paris towns people celebrate the ’festival of jesters’. It has become a tradition to choose the ugliest man for the role of the ’pope of jesters’. This time their choice falls upon hunchback Quasimodo — the bell-ringer of the Notre-Dame, Gringoire looks for Esmeralda in the jovial crowd. Frollo appears at the height of the festival. He angrily accuses Quasimodo of blasphemy.
A dreary procession stops the festival: Esmeralda is led to the place of execution.
The gypsy woman bids farewell to her friends and, pressing the scarf of her beloved to the heart, leaves them all forever.
Photos:
© Photo by Marc Haegeman
Schedule for Cesare Pugni "Esmeralda" (Ballet in three acts) 2022
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