Joan Sutherland & Richard Bonynge

Royal Opera House - Richard Bonynge & Joan Sutherland 

Richard Bonynge and the Miracle of the Romantic Ballet Recorded

In the history of recorded music, there are great conductors, there are legendary conductors, and then there are those rare individuals whose work permanently alters what future generations are able to hear, know, and understand. Richard Bonynge belongs decisively to this last category. His contribution to music—both opera and ballet—is not merely distinguished by excellence, but by uniqueness. Quite simply, without Richard Bonynge, vast areas of nineteenth-century music would remain silent, forgotten, or forever imagined rather than heard.

Bonynge is often introduced through his long and extraordinary partnership with his wife, the incomparable soprano Joan Sutherland. That partnership alone would secure his place in musical history. Yet to reduce his legacy to accompaniment or collaboration would be to misunderstand the true nature of his artistry. Richard Bonynge was, above all, a conductor of vision: a musician with a profound understanding of style, a tireless scholar, and a passionate believer in the intrinsic value of music that others had dismissed as obsolete or unfashionable.

The Revival of a Lost World: Ballet Music

Bonynge’s achievement in ballet music is nothing short of miraculous. Over many decades, he devoted himself to uncovering nineteenth-century ballet scores that had vanished from the repertoire—works that had once filled theatres in Paris, Vienna, London, and St. Petersburg, yet had completely disappeared from modern performance. He searched obsessively through second-hand music shops, archives, and libraries in cities across Europe, often finding scores that had not been opened for generations.

What makes this effort so extraordinary is that Bonynge did not treat these discoveries as mere curiosities. He understood them as living music. He studied them, restored them, prepared them for performance, and recorded them with the same seriousness and artistic commitment he brought to the greatest masterpieces. Through Decca, he created a recorded legacy that no other conductor has matched: a vast, coherent, lovingly curated anthology of Romantic ballet music.

The 45-CD box set Richard Bonynge – The Complete Ballet Recordings stands as a monument to this work. Alongside universally known masterpieces such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and La Bayadère, the collection reveals an astonishing treasury of forgotten ballets by Adam, Delibes, Minkus, Drigo, Auber, Massenet, Berlioz, Meyerbeer, Lecocq, Pugni, and many others. These were not marginal figures: they were central to the musical life of the nineteenth century, particularly in Paris, where ballet occupied a position of immense cultural importance.

Bonynge understood instinctively how ballet music must breathe, dance, and sparkle. His tempi feel inevitable, his phrasing elastic and elegant, his orchestral textures luminous. This is not museum music. It is theatre, movement, color, and joy. Few moments in the box set are as overwhelming as the extended Grand Pas from Minkus’s Paquita—over twenty minutes of music that Bonynge shapes with such vitality and brilliance that it feels utterly unsurpassable. For many listeners, myself included, listening to these recordings for hours on end can feel like being transported somewhere between heaven and earth.

Opera and the Art of Bel Canto

Yet Bonynge’s contribution to opera is equally historic. Together with Joan Sutherland, he changed forever the way bel canto opera is heard, understood, and valued. At a time when many of these operas were neglected, cut, or misunderstood, Bonynge insisted on stylistic integrity, musical completeness, and orchestral refinement. He did not treat bel canto as vocal display supported by an orchestra, but as a fully integrated musical drama.

It is impossible to imagine Joan Sutherland’s discography without Richard Bonynge’s guidance, encouragement, and determination. Time and again, he persuaded her—and recording companies—to commit to studio recordings that no one expected, and in some cases, no one dared to imagine.

A particularly moving example is Anna Bolena by Donizetti, recorded in 1985, when Sutherland was already nearing the end of her active stage career. Few believed she would ever record the role in the studio. Yet she did—and the result remains, for many listeners, the definitive studio recording of the opera. Nearly forty years later, it stands not as a late-career curiosity, but as a towering artistic statement, preserved thanks to Bonynge’s insistence and vision.

The same can be said of recordings such as L’elisir d’amore with Luciano Pavarotti, or Turandot—an opera no one expected Sutherland ever to record. And yet she did, delivering a performance of astonishing authority, vocal security, and grandeur. Her Turandot remains one of the most compelling on disc, and it is a role many listeners, myself included, return to repeatedly with undiminished admiration.

Then there are her unforgettable portrayals of Elvira in I Puritani, Amina in La Sonnambula, Violetta in La Traviata, and above all Norma, Bellini’s supreme creation. In all of these recordings, Bonynge’s conducting is not merely supportive; it is revelatory. He understands the architecture of the music, the dramatic pacing, the expressive weight of orchestral color. He allows the voice to soar, but never at the expense of musical coherence or stylistic truth.

A Personal and Collective Debt

Richard Bonynge did more for the worlds of opera and ballet than almost any conductor of his generation. He expanded the repertoire, preserved endangered works, and gave them performances of lasting beauty. He trusted audiences to listen, to discover, and to fall in love with music they had never heard before.

I had the great fortune of meeting Richard Bonynge in 2001 and of thanking him personally for his extraordinary work. It is a moment I will always treasure. Yet any personal gratitude pales beside the collective debt owed to him by millions of listeners around the world. Thanks to him, we can hear what would otherwise be lost. Thanks to him, an entire musical century continues to sing, dance, and enchant.

Richard Bonynge achieved something no other conductor has achieved: he rescued forgotten beauty and gave it permanence. For lovers of nineteenth-century music—whether opera or ballet—his recordings are not merely important. They are indispensable.

For that, we will never be grateful enough.

Few achievements in the history of recorded music can truly be described as unique. Fewer still can be called irreplaceable. Richard Bonynge – The Complete Ballet Recordings, released by Decca as a monumental 45-CD box set, belongs unquestionably to that rare category: a once-in-a-lifetime artistic achievement that no other conductor has equaled, and perhaps none ever will.

Richard Bonynge is widely celebrated for his legendary partnership with his wife, the great soprano Joan Sutherland, and for his authoritative interpretations of bel canto opera. Yet to focus solely on opera would be to overlook one of his most extraordinary and enduring contributions to musical culture: the resurrection, study, performance, and recording of nineteenth-century ballet music—much of it forgotten, neglected, or assumed to be lost forever.

Bonynge himself explained in interviews how, over many years, he devoted countless hours to searching through antiquarian music shops and libraries across Europe, patiently uncovering original ballet scores from the nineteenth century. These were works that had once enjoyed enormous success in Paris, London, Vienna, and St. Petersburg, yet had vanished completely from the repertoire. Some had never been recorded; others had not even been performed for generations. In many cases, few musicians alive were even aware that these ballets had ever existed.

Bonynge did far more than simply “find” these scores. He studied them meticulously, reconstructed performance traditions, prepared the orchestral materials, and brought them back to life in the recording studio with a level of care, stylistic understanding, and affection that only a true devotee could provide. Conducting magnificent orchestras under the Decca label, he transformed fragile, dusty manuscripts into living, breathing music—rich in color, rhythm, elegance, and theatrical vitality.

This collection does not limit itself to the universally known masterpieces such as Swan Lake, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, or La Bayadère. Alongside these pillars of the repertoire, the box set opens a door to a dazzling lost world: ballets by Adam, Delibes, Drigo, Minkus, Massenet, Auber, Berlioz, Meyerbeer, Lecocq, Pugni, and many others. French, Russian, Italian, Austrian, German, Danish—Bonynge’s range is astonishing, and his stylistic instinct unfailingly sure.

What makes these recordings truly exceptional is not merely their rarity, but their quality. Bonynge understood ballet music from the inside: its pulse, its breathing, its dramatic arc, and its intimate connection to movement. Tempi are natural, phrasing is elastic, rhythms dance, and the orchestral colors glow. This is ballet music conducted by someone who loved it deeply and knew exactly how it should sound.

The Decca engineering, as always, is superb. Even recordings originating from analogue tapes of the 1960s and 1970s are transferred with remarkable clarity, warmth, and balance. The presentation of the box set is equally admirable: 45 CDs housed in elegant cardboard sleeves, many reproducing the original LP artwork, accompanied by detailed documentation that reflects the care and seriousness of the project.

On a personal level, these recordings offer moments of almost indescribable joy. One need only listen to the extended Grand Pas from Minkus’s Paquita—over twenty minutes of sheer brilliance—to understand the magic Bonynge achieved. The orchestration sparkles, the melodic invention seems inexhaustible, and the performance reaches a level that feels not merely excellent, but definitive. For many listeners, myself included, this music can induce a sense of pure happiness: hours spent listening feel like being in heaven, here on earth.

I had the great fortune of meeting Richard Bonynge in 2001, and of thanking him personally for his extraordinary work in both opera and ballet. That moment remains unforgettable. What he gave us through these recordings is not just pleasure, but cultural memory—an entire musical universe rescued from oblivion.

This box set is more than a collection of CDs. It is a historical document, an act of love, and a gift to future generations. For lovers of nineteenth-century music, ballet enthusiasts, and anyone who believes that beauty is worth preserving, Richard Bonynge – The Complete Ballet Recordings is not merely recommended—it is essential.

Richard Bonynge achieved what no other conductor has achieved: he made the invisible audible, the forgotten unforgettable, and the lost eternal. For that, neither I nor the millions of admirers around the world who treasure these recordings will ever be sufficiently grateful.

Adam, Adolphe

• Le Diable à quatre

• Giselle

  • Danse des vignerons

  • Pas seul

  • Peasant pas de deux

  • Grand Pas de Deux (Act II)

• Le Corsaire

• Giralda – Overture

• La Poupée de Nuremberg – Overture

Auber, Daniel-François-Esprit

• Marco Spada – Ballet (complete)

• Marco Spada – Overture

• Gustave III (Le Bal masqué) – Overture

• Gustave III (Le Bal masqué) – Ballet Music

• Cello Concerto No. 1 in A minor

• Lestocq – Overture

• La Neige – Overture

Asafyev, Boris

• Papillons

Berlioz, Hector

• Les Troyens – Ballet music

Bizet, Georges

• Don Procopio – Entr’acte

Boieldieu, François-Adrien

• Le Calife de Bagdad – Overture

• La Dame blanche – Overture

Britten, Benjamin

• Soirées musicales (after Rossini), Op. 9

• Matinées musicales (after Rossini), Op. 24

Burgmüller, Friedrich

• La Péri – Romantic ballet in two acts

Catalani, Alfredo

• Loreley – Danza delle ondine

Chopin, Frédéric

• Les Sylphides

Czibulka, Alphons

• Love’s Dream After the Ball, Op. 356

Delibes, Léo

• Coppélia

• Sylvia

• La Source

• Naïla – Intermezzo

• Le Roi l’a dit – Entr’acte

Donizetti, Gaetano

• La Favorita – Ballet music

• Ballabile (from La Favorite)

• Roberto Devereux – Overture

Drigo, Riccardo

• La Flûte magique

• Pas de Trois

• Le Réveil de Flore – excerpts

• Esmeralda – Pas de deux

• Le Corsaire – Pas de deux

Gounod, Charles

• Faust – Ballet music

• La Reine de Saba – Waltz

• Le Tribut de Zamora – Danse grecque

Handel, Georg Friedrich

• Alcina – Ballet music

Hérold, Ferdinand

• Zampa – Overture

Kreisler, Fritz

• Schön Rosmarin

Kurpiński, Karol

• Polish Wedding – Mazurka

Leoni, Francesco

• The Prayer and the Sword

Lecocq, Charles

• La Fille de Madame Angot – Ballet music

• La Fille de Madame Angot – Overture

Lincke, Paul

• Glow Worm Idyll (Lysistrata)

Lovenskjold, Herman

• La Sylphide – Pas de deux

Luigini, Alexandre

• Ballet égyptien

Maillart, Louis-Aimé

• Les Dragons de Villars – Overture

Massenet, Jules

• Manon – Ballet

• Le Carillon

• Scènes alsaciennes

• Fantaisie for Cello and Orchestra

• Cigale

• Valse très lente

• Le Cid – Ballet music

• Le Cid – Suite

• Méditation (from Thaïs)

• La Navarraise – Nocturne

• Chérubin – Entr’acte

• Don César de Bazan – Sévillana

• Le Roi de Lahore – Waltz and Entr’acte

• Les Érinnyes – Invocation

Meyerbeer, Giacomo

• Les Patineurs – Ballet

• Les Patineurs – Suite

• Le Prophète – Coronation March

Minkus, Ludwig

• La Bayadère

• Don Quixote – Pas de deux

• Paquita – Pas de deux

Offenbach, Jacques

• Le Papillon

• La Fille du tambour-major – Overture

Planquette, Robert

• Les Cloches de Corneville – Overture

Popper, David

• Cello Concerto No. 2 in E minor, Op. 24

Pugni, Cesare

• Pas de quatre

Rossini, Gioachino

• La Boutique fantasque

• Guillaume Tell – Ballet music

• Torvaldo e Dorliska – Overture

Rubinstein, Anton

• Danses des fiancées de Cachemir (from Feramors)

Saint-Saëns, Camille

• Le Cygne (Carnaval des animaux)

• Henry VIII – Danse de la Gipsy

Strauss II, Johann

• Aschenbrödel-Walzer

• Ritter Pásmán – Ballet music

• An der schönen blauen Donau, Op. 314

• Die Fledermaus – Ballet music (Act II)

• Die Fledermaus – Overture

Tchaikovsky, Pyotr Ilyich

• The Nutcracker, Op. 71

• Swan Lake, Op. 20

• Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66

• Swan Lake – Pas de deux

• The Nutcracker – Pas de deux

• Aurora Variation (Sleeping Beauty)

• The Seasons, Op. 37b: December

• Souvenir d’un lieu cher, Op. 42

Thomas, Ambroise

• Hamlet – Ballet music

• Hamlet – Act IV Ballet Music

• Mignon – Overture

Verdi, Giuseppe

• Il Trovatore – Ballet Music (Acts II & III)

• Giovanna d’Arco – Overture

Wallace, William Vincent

• Maritana – Overture

Weber, Carl Maria von

• Invitation to the Dance, Op. 65

Anon.

• Bolero (1830)

Saint Petersburg - Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam

El próximo martes 13 de enero, se levantará el telón para la última función de El Cascanueces en el histórico Teatro Mariinsky, poniendo fin a una extraordinaria serie de funciones con entradas agotadas que han llenado el teatro noche tras noche. A lo largo de esta temporada festiva, una auténtica constelación de bailarinas ha encarnado el papel de Clara, cautivando al público con su juventud, poesía y brillantez técnica.

El honor de cerrar esta entrañable serie recae en la radiante Olesya Novikova, cuya inconfundible aura y elegancia lírica la convierten en una de las estrellas más queridas del Mariinsky. Con su refinada maestría y delicada musicalidad, volverá a cautivar al público, bailando junto a Yevgeny Konovalov, formando una pareja de gracia y armonía que promete una despedida memorable de El Cascanueces.

Pero la magia no termina ahí. En San Petersburgo, el ballet nunca duerme.

El miércoles 14 de enero, el Teatro Mariinsky presenta lo que a menudo se conoce como el ballet de los ballets: El Lago de los Cisnes. El público se transportará una vez más al mundo atemporal de cisnes, príncipes y lagos iluminados por la luna de Chaikovski, con un elenco distinguido que incluye a Maria Iliushkina, Even Capitaine y Ruslan Stenyushkin. La noche siguiente, el jueves 15 de enero, el encanto continúa con otra función de El Lago de los Cisnes, esta vez dirigida por la exquisita Valeria Kuznetsova, cuya Odette-Odile es admirada por su profundidad, pureza y contraste dramático, junto a Minchul Jeon.

Y luego llega otra joya del repertorio clásico: El Corsario, interpretada en el espectacular escenario moderno del Mariinsky II. Con la emocionante e irresistible música de Adolphe Adam, el genio creador de Giselle, este ballet lleno de aventuras lleva la danza virtuosa, el romance y la brillantez teatral al escenario.

En el corazón de Le Corsaire brilla la incomparable Viktoria Tereshkina, la superestrella indiscutible del Ballet Mariinsky y una de las bailarinas más importantes de nuestro tiempo. Su imponente presencia, su técnica audaz y su magnética personalidad escénica transforman cada actuación en un acontecimiento. El arte de Tereshkina trasciende los pasos; encarna poder, elegancia e intensidad dramática, cautivando al público desde su primera aparición.

La acompaña un elenco excepcional, que incluye a May Nagahisa, cuyo refinamiento y sensibilidad musical complementan a la perfección la brillantez de Tereshkina, y a Roman Belyakov, quien recientemente la acompañó en El Cascanueces con un éxito rotundo, demostrando una vez más que forman una dupla excepcional y electrizante. Para añadir aún más emoción, Ryoma Hudzeleu deslumbra con impresionantes saltos y virtuosas variaciones, emocionando al público en uno de los ballets más queridos del canon clásico.

Las funciones adicionales de El Corsario contarán con la participación de artistas maravillosos como Alexandra Khiteeva, Elena Svinko, Daria Kulikova y Alisa Barinova, junto con los distinguidos Konstantin Zverev, Kian Mangis, Anton Osetrov y Alexei Orohovsky, lo que garantiza una celebración rica y variada de esta obra espectacular.

Desde El Cascanueces hasta El Lago de los Cisnes, y desde lagos iluminados por la luna hasta aventuras piratas, la magia de Chaikovski y el ballet clásico continúa sin descanso en San Petersburgo. En el Mariinsky, la fantasía, la música y la danza se fusionan a la perfección, noche tras noche, ofreciendo al público un viaje inolvidable a través del corazón mismo del ballet.

Next Tuesday, January 13, the curtain will rise for the final performance of The Nutcracker at the historic Mariinsky Theatre, bringing to a close an extraordinary series of sold-out performances that have filled the theatre night after night. Over the course of this festive run, a true constellation of ballerinas has embodied the role of Clara, enchanting audiences with youth, poetry, and technical brilliance.

The honor of closing this beloved series belongs to the radiant Olesya Novikova, whose unmistakable aura and lyrical elegance make her one of the Mariinsky’s most cherished stars. With her refined artistry and delicate musicality, she will once again captivate the audience, dancing alongside Yevgeny Konovalov, forming a partnership of grace and harmony that promises a truly memorable farewell to The Nutcracker.

Yet the magic does not end there. In Saint Petersburg, ballet never sleeps.

On Wednesday, January 14, the Mariinsky Theatre presents what is often called the ballet of ballets: Swan Lake. Audiences will be transported once more into Tchaikovsky’s timeless world of swans, princes, and moonlit lakes, with a distinguished cast featuring Maria Iliushkina, Even Capitaine, and Ruslan Stenyushkin. The following evening, Thursday, January 15, the enchantment continues with another performance of Swan Lake, this time led by the exquisite Valeria Kuznetsova, whose Odette–Odile is admired for its depth, purity, and dramatic contrast, alongside Minchul Jeon.

And then comes another jewel of the classical repertoire: Le Corsaire, performed in the spectacular modern setting of Mariinsky II. With the exhilarating and irresistible music of Adolphe Adam—the genius behind Giselle—this adventure-filled ballet brings virtuosic dancing, romance, and theatrical brilliance to the stage.

At the heart of Le Corsaire shines the incomparable Viktoria Tereshkina, the undisputed superstar of the Mariinsky Ballet and one of the greatest ballerinas of our time. Her commanding presence, fearless technique, and magnetic stage personality transform every performance into an event. Tereshkina’s artistry transcends steps; she embodies power, elegance, and dramatic intensity, captivating audiences from her very first entrance.

She is joined by an exceptional cast, including May Nagahisa, whose refinement and musical sensitivity perfectly complement Tereshkina’s brilliance, and Roman Belyakov, who recently partnered her in The Nutcracker with tremendous success, proving once again that they form an outstanding and electrifying partnership. Adding even more excitement, Ryoma Hudzeleu dazzles with breathtaking jumps and virtuoso variations, thrilling the public in one of the most beloved ballets in the classical canon.

Additional performances of Le Corsaire will feature wonderful artists such as Alexandra Khiteeva, Elena Svinko, Daria Kulikova, and Alisa Barinova, alongside distinguished partners Konstantin Zverev, Kian Mangis, Anton Osetrov, and Alexei Orohovsky, ensuring a rich and varied celebration of this spectacular work.

From The Nutcracker to Swan Lake, and from moonlit lakes to pirate adventures, the magic of Tchaikovsky and classical ballet continues without pause in Saint Petersburg. At the Mariinsky, fantasy, music, and dance merge seamlessly—night after night—offering audiences an unforgettable journey through the very heart of ballet.

Mardi prochain, le rideau se lèvera sur la dernière représentation de Casse-Noisette au mythique Théâtre Mariinsky, clôturant ainsi une série extraordinaire de représentations à guichets fermés qui ont rempli la salle soir après soir. Durant cette période festive, une véritable constellation de ballerines a incarné le rôle de Clara, enchanteant le public par sa jeunesse, sa poésie et sa virtuosité technique.

L'honneur de clore cette série tant appréciée revient à la rayonnante Olesya Novikova, dont l'aura incomparable et l'élégance lyrique font d'elle l'une des étoiles les plus chéries du Mariinsky. Avec son art raffiné et sa musicalité délicate, elle captivera une fois de plus le public, dansant aux côtés d'Evgueni Konovalov, formant un duo d'une grâce et d'une harmonie qui promet des adieux inoubliables à Casse-Noisette.

Mais la magie ne s'arrête pas là. À Saint-Pétersbourg, le ballet ne s'arrête jamais.

Le mercredi 14 janvier, le Théâtre Mariinsky présente ce que l'on appelle souvent le ballet des ballets : Le Lac des cygnes. Le public sera une fois de plus transporté dans l'univers intemporel de Tchaïkovski, peuplé de cygnes, de princes et de lacs au clair de lune, grâce à une distribution prestigieuse comprenant Maria Iliouchkina, Even Capitaine et Ruslan Stenyouchkine. Le lendemain soir, jeudi 15 janvier, la magie se poursuit avec une nouvelle représentation du Lac des cygnes, cette fois-ci sous la houlette de l'exquise Valeria Kuznetsova, dont l'interprétation d'Odette-Odile est admirée pour sa profondeur, sa pureté et ses contrastes dramatiques, aux côtés de Minchul Jeon.

Puis viendra un autre joyau du répertoire classique : Le Corsaire, présenté dans le cadre moderne et spectaculaire du Mariinsky II. Porté par la musique exaltante et irrésistible d'Adolphe Adam – le génie derrière Giselle –, ce ballet plein d'aventures offre un spectacle de danse virtuose, de romance et de splendeur théâtrale.

Au cœur du Corsaire brille l'incomparable Viktoria Terechkina, superstar incontestée du Ballet Mariinsky et l'une des plus grandes ballerines de notre époque. Sa présence imposante, sa technique audacieuse et son charisme magnétique transforment chaque représentation en un événement. L'art de Terechkina transcende les pas ; elle incarne la puissance, l'élégance et une intensité dramatique captivant le public dès son entrée en scène.

Elle est entourée d'une distribution exceptionnelle, notamment May Nagahisa, dont le raffinement et la sensibilité musicale complètent à merveille l'éclat de Terechkina, et Roman Belyakov, qui a récemment partagé la scène avec elle dans Casse-Noisette avec un succès retentissant, prouvant une fois de plus qu'ils forment un duo exceptionnel et électrisant. Pour ajouter à l'émotion, Ryoma Hudzeleu éblouit par ses sauts époustouflants et ses variations virtuoses, transportant le public dans l'un des ballets les plus appréciés du répertoire classique.

Des représentations supplémentaires du Corsaire mettront en vedette de merveilleuses artistes telles qu'Alexandra Khiteeva, Elena Svinko, Daria Kulikova et Alisa Barinova, accompagnées de partenaires de renom comme Konstantin Zverev, Kian Mangis, Anton Osetrov et Alexei Orohovsky, pour une célébration riche et variée de cette œuvre spectaculaire.

De Casse-Noisette au Lac des cygnes, des lacs au clair de lune aux aventures de pirates, la magie de Tchaïkovski et du ballet classique continue de résonner sans relâche à Saint-Pétersbourg. Au Mariinsky, la fantaisie, la musique et la danse fusionnent harmonieusement, soir après soir, offrant au public un voyage inoubliable au cœur même du ballet.

Martedì prossimo, 13 gennaio, si alzerà il sipario per l'ultima rappresentazione de Lo Schiaccianoci allo storico Teatro Mariinskij, concludendo una straordinaria serie di spettacoli sold-out che hanno riempito il teatro sera dopo sera. Nel corso di questa festosa serie, una vera e propria costellazione di ballerine ha incarnato il ruolo di Clara, incantando il pubblico con giovinezza, poesia e brillantezza tecnica.

L'onore di chiudere questa amata serie spetta alla radiosa Olesya Novikova, la cui aura inconfondibile e la cui eleganza lirica la rendono una delle stelle più amate del Mariinskij. Con la sua raffinata arte e la sua delicata musicalità, conquisterà ancora una volta il pubblico, danzando al fianco di Yevgeny Konovalov, formando un sodalizio di grazia e armonia che promette un addio davvero memorabile allo Schiaccianoci.

Ma la magia non finisce qui. A San Pietroburgo, il balletto non dorme mai.

Mercoledì 14 gennaio, il Teatro Mariinskij presenta quello che viene spesso definito il balletto dei balletti: Il Lago dei Cigni. Il pubblico sarà trasportato ancora una volta nel mondo senza tempo di Čajkovskij, fatto di cigni, principi e laghi al chiaro di luna, con un cast d'eccezione che include Maria Iliushkina, Even Capitaine e Ruslan Stenyushkin. La sera successiva, giovedì 15 gennaio, l'incanto continua con un'altra rappresentazione del Lago dei Cigni, questa volta diretta dalla squisita Valeria Kuznetsova, la cui Odette-Odile è ammirata per la sua profondità, purezza e contrasto drammatico, al fianco di Minchul Jeon.

E poi arriva un altro gioiello del repertorio classico: Le Corsaire, eseguito nello spettacolare allestimento moderno del Mariinsky II. Con la musica esilarante e irresistibile di Adolphe Adam, il genio dietro Giselle, questo balletto ricco di avventure porta in scena virtuosismi di danza, romanticismo e brillantezza teatrale.

Al centro de "Le Corsaire" risplende l'incomparabile Viktoria Tereshkina, superstar indiscussa del Balletto Mariinskij e una delle più grandi ballerine del nostro tempo. La sua presenza imponente, la sua tecnica intrepida e la sua magnetica personalità scenica trasformano ogni spettacolo in un evento. L'arte di Tereshkina trascende i passi; incarna potenza, eleganza e intensità drammatica, affascinando il pubblico fin dal suo primo ingresso.

È affiancata da un cast d'eccezione, tra cui May Nagahisa, la cui raffinatezza e sensibilità musicale si sposano perfettamente con la brillantezza di Tereshkina, e Roman Belyakov, che l'ha recentemente affiancata ne "Lo Schiaccianoci" con enorme successo, dimostrando ancora una volta di formare una coppia eccezionale ed elettrizzante. A rendere ancora più emozionante lo spettacolo, Ryoma Hudzeleu abbaglia con salti mozzafiato e variazioni virtuosistiche, entusiasmando il pubblico in uno dei balletti più amati del canone classico.

Ulteriori spettacoli de "Il Corsaro" vedranno la partecipazione di artiste straordinarie come Alexandra Khiteeva, Elena Svinko, Daria Kulikova e Alisa Barinova, insieme a partner illustri come Konstantin Zverev, Kian Mangis, Anton Osetrov e Alexei Orohovsky, garantendo una celebrazione ricca e variegata di questa spettacolare opera.

Da "Lo Schiaccianoci" al "Lago dei Cigni", dai laghi al chiaro di luna alle avventure dei pirati, la magia di Čajkovskij e del balletto classico continua senza sosta a San Pietroburgo. Al Mariinsky, fantasia, musica e danza si fondono armoniosamente, sera dopo sera, offrendo al pubblico un viaggio indimenticabile nel cuore del balletto.

Moscow - Le Corsaire by Adolphe Adam

Le Corsaire is one of the most fabulous ballets in the classical repertoire and unquestionably one of those endowed with the most impressive and sumptuous musical scores. Its music is exquisite, rich in color, drama, and melodic invention, making it a jewel of 19th-century ballet.

Le Corsaire is a ballet in three acts, five tableaux, and an epilogue, based on a libretto by Jules-Henry Vernoy de Saint-Georges, inspired by Lord Byron’s poem The Corsair (1814). The original music was composed by Adolphe Adam, though the score as it is performed today includes significant additions by other composers. The ballet was first created on 23 January 1856 at the Paris Opéra, with choreography by Joseph Mazilier. The principal roles were originated by Carolina Rosati as Médora and Domenico Segarelli as Conrad. The work remained in the repertoire for two years and was revived in 1867 for the Paris Universal Exposition.

During this revival, a grand Pas des fleurs was added in honor of the ballerina Adèle Grantzow, who danced Médora. The music for this new number was commissioned from Léo Delibes. Despite this success, Le Corsaire later fell into obscurity in France and was never again staged by the Paris Opéra.

The survival of the ballet is largely due to its transmission in Russia. On 24 January 1858, Jules Perrot presented Le Corsaire at the Imperial Bolshoi Kamenny Theatre in Saint Petersburg, adapting Mazilier’s version. Marius Petipa participated in this production both as a dancer and as Perrot’s assistant. In subsequent years, Petipa took charge of reviving and reshaping the ballet, continuing his work on it until the dawn of the 20th century.

One of Petipa’s most significant contributions was the expansion of Delibes’s Pas des fleurs into a large and lavish tableau known as Le Jardin animé, enriched with additional music. Through these Russian revivals—and thanks to the choreographic notations made during Petipa’s lifetime—the ballet was preserved. While it is now impossible to determine precisely how much of Mazilier’s original choreography survives, a substantial portion of Petipa’s work can be reliably reconstructed.

The celebrated Pas de deux (or Pas de trois in full productions) that is now inseparable from Le Corsaire owes most of its music to Riccardo Drigo, assembled from various works by Andrianov. Drigo composed the entrance adagio, the male variation, and the final coda, while the female variation is attributed to Baron Schell. From 1915 onward, this Pas de deux—with Drigo’s music and Andrianov’s choreography—achieved worldwide fame and was incorporated into nearly all subsequent productions, replacing an earlier Pas de deux composed by Drigo in 1887.

Le Corsaire was first staged in Russia for the Imperial Ballet of Saint Petersburg by Jules Perrot, who served as Premier Maître de Ballet of the Imperial Theatres from 1849 to 1858. The premiere took place on 24 January (12 January O.S.) 1858, with Ekaterina Friedbürg as Médora and the young Marius Petipa dancing Conrad. For this production, Petipa assisted Perrot in rehearsals and revised several key dances.

Petipa’s final and most important revival premiered on 25 January (13 January O.S.) 1899 at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre. This production was mounted especially for the benefit performance of Pierina Legnani, Prima ballerina assoluta of the Imperial Theatres. Olga Preobrajenskaya danced the role of Gulnare, and Pavel Gerdt appeared as Conrad.

Among modern recordings, the complete score performed by the English Chamber Orchestra under the direction of Richard Bonynge (Decca, 1990, 2 CDs) is widely regarded as the finest available today—a true treasure, frequently listened to and deeply cherished by ballet and music lovers alike.

Le Corsaire à Moscou : une histoire de transmissions et de métamorphoses

L’histoire de Le Corsaire à Moscou occupe une place essentielle dans la survie et l’évolution de ce ballet. Dès le XIXᵉ siècle, le Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï impérial de Moscou joua un rôle déterminant dans la transmission et la transformation de l’œuvre, en dialogue constant avec la tradition pétersbourgeoise.

En mars 1858, Marius Petipa fut envoyé à Moscou afin de monter pour le Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï impérial la version de Le Corsaire créée par Jules Perrot à Saint-Pétersbourg. Cette production s’inscrivit durablement au répertoire du théâtre, qui continua à la représenter régulièrement au fil des décennies, au travers de multiples reprises et adaptations. En 1888, Petipa supervisa personnellement la création d’une nouvelle production pour la troupe moscovite, laquelle connut un succès retentissant et confirma l’importance de son autorité chorégraphique dans la Russie impériale.

En 1894, le nouveau maître de ballet du Bolchoï, Ivan Clustine, présenta sa propre mise en scène de Le Corsaire, créée le 22 mars (9 mars, ancien style). Cette production suscita toutefois la controverse : Petipa affirma par la suite que Clustine avait largement plagié sa chorégraphie, notamment dans la célèbre scène du Jardin animé, l’un des tableaux les plus emblématiques du ballet.

Un tournant majeur survint le 25 janvier 1912 (12 janvier, ancien style), lorsque Alexandre Gorsky, alors Premier Maître de Ballet du Théâtre Bolchoï, présenta sa grande reprise de Le Corsaire. Les rôles principaux furent interprétés par Ekaterina Geltzer (Médora) et Vassili Tikhomirov (Conrad). Pour cette production, Gorsky entreprit une révision approfondie de la partition d’Adolphe Adam, enrichie d’un grand nombre d’interpolations musicales destinées à accompagner de nouvelles scènes, variations et divertissements.

Gorsky intégra des musiques de compositeurs aussi divers qu’Edvard Grieg, Anton Simon, Reinhold Glière, Karl Goldmark, Frédéric Chopin, Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski et Antonín Dvořák. Parmi les ajouts les plus remarquables figurait une scène de rêve sur un Nocturne de Chopin, dans laquelle Médora imagine son bien-aimé Conrad. Un autre épisode marquant fut l’introduction d’un divertissement pour esclaves turques, persanes et arabes lors de la scène du bazar à l’acte I. Malgré l’abondance de ces ajouts, Gorsky conserva également de nombreux pas et tableaux hérités des versions de Mazilier et de Petipa, créant ainsi une synthèse entre tradition et modernité.

La version de Gorsky demeura au répertoire du Théâtre Bolchoï jusqu’en 1927. Par la suite, bien que des extraits de Le Corsaire continuassent d’être fréquemment présentés, le ballet dans son intégralité ne fut plus repris à Moscou avant 1992, année où Konstantin Sergueïev en proposa une nouvelle production pour la compagnie.

Au début du XXIᵉ siècle, le Bolchoï renoua avec l’ambition historique du ballet en présentant, le 21 juin 2007, une reprise fastueuse de Le Corsaire, mise en scène par Iouri Bourlaka en collaboration avec le directeur artistique Alexeï Ratmansky. Cette production se distingua par son approche historiquement informée : Bourlaka s’appuya sur les notations chorégraphiques de la collection Sergueïev, ainsi que sur des documents conservés à la Bibliothèque nationale de France, au musée théâtral Bakhrushine et au Musée d’État du théâtre et de la musique de Saint-Pétersbourg.

Cette version, estimée à 1,5 million de dollars, devint la production de ballet la plus coûteuse jamais montée à ce jour. Elle confirma une fois encore le rôle central de Moscou — et du Théâtre Bolchoï — dans l’histoire, la préservation et la réinvention de Le Corsaire, ballet dont la richesse n’a cessé de se renouveler au fil des générations.