Schedule for Carmina Burana - C.Orff, Walpurgis Night - C.Gounod, Divertissement. Imperial Russian Ballet 2022

Composer: Charles Francois Gounod
Artistic Director: Gediminas Taranda

Orchestra: Symphony Orchestra of the "New Opera" Theatre

Performance by Imperial Russian Ballet

Composer: Ch.Hunno
a choreographic scene from the opera "Faustus"

Choreography: Michael Lavrovsky

Charles Hunno (1818-1893) is a French composer, an author of twelve operas, more than a hundred romantic songs, a great number of clerical creations, and some instrumental opuses. His opera "Faustus" was as popular as the best masterpiece of French musical theatre of the XIX century "Carmen" by J.Bizet. Only due to this opera Hunno’s name is written in the history of both French and world musical culture.

The idea of "Faustus" came to Hunno’s mind in young years. He remembers in his autobiographical notes "Notes of the artist", that when being in Italy, he used to read "Faustus" by Gete. Once at night, when he was on Capri, and enjoyed mystic moon lights, the idea of "Walpurgis Nights" based on "Faustus" struck him. It never leaved Hunno’s mind and he had the poem by Gete with him everywhere. He made notes about musical images without any order, as all of them could be used in future construction of the performance.

"Walpurgis Nights" – is one of the brightest scenes of the "Faustus". It grew out of the opera and got its own life. In the Middle Ages German mythology the Walpurgis Night is the night between April, 30 and May, 1 (the day of St.Walpurgy). It’s the time of annual witches’ Sabbath. They flew on their brooms and pitchforks to the Brocken Mountain and gathered around Satan. They tried to prevent proper coming of spring, sent spoilage on people and cattle. A special ceremony of witches’ expulsion was held in the villages on the night’s eve. People burnt the fires (sometimes a straw witch was burnt), went around the houses with torches, and rang the church bells. It was considered, that the herbs get their magic power that night. According to the opera plot, the dancing episode of "Walpurgis Nights" takes place in the Mephistophelean place, when he tries to turn Faustus’s mind from Margaret and suggests enjoying the entire world’s fortune. The dances begin, one is better than the other. This episode is included in today’s evening programme



Carmina Burana - C.Orff,
Choreographer Maya Murdmaa



Divertissement.