The Bay Head School of Ballet & Violin

Presents

Scenes from “La Bayadere”

Sunday, June 5, 2016

Program

La Bayadere. A ballet in three acts.  Music by Ludwig Minkus.  Book by S. N. Khudekov.  Choreography by Marius Petipa.   First performed at the Maryinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, February 4, 1877.  First presented in the United States by the Kirov Ballet at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, September 14, 1961.  Set in royal India of the past, La Bayadere is a story of eternal love, mystery, fate, vengeance, and justice.  The ballet relates the drama of the temple dancer (bayadere), Nikiya.

Act I, Scene 1--Outside the Temple in the Sacred Forest.   The High Brahmin, priests and temple dancers are celebrating the Indian Ritual of Fire.  Nikiya, the most beautiful of the bayaderes, has been chosen to be consecrated the lead temple dancer.  Nikiya is loved by Solor, a noble warrior.  She is also loved by the High Brahmin, but she does not love him in return as she does Solor.  Later that evening she secretly meets Solor.  They dance together and swear eternal love over the Sacred Fire, but their tryst is discovered by the jealous High Brahmin, who swears to kill Solor.

Act I, Scene 2-A Room in the Palace.  The Rajah decrees that his daughter, the beautiful Gamzatti, will marry Solor.  Gamzatti falls in love with the portrait of Solor that is shown her, and when they meet, Solor is overwhelmed by her beauty.  The High Brahmin rushes in and informs the Rajah of Solor’s love for Nikiya in the hopes that the Rajah will do away with Solor.  The Rajah decides to kill Nikiya instead. 

Gamzatti has overheard the conversation between her father and the High Brahmin, and commands her slave to bring Nikiya to her.  Gamzatti tries to bribe Nikiya with money and jewels to renounce Solor.  Nikiya refuses and attempts to stab Gamzatti, who swears her vengeance upon the temple dancer.

Act I, Scene 3-The Garden of the Palace.  A ceremony is held to celebrate the betrothal of Gamzatti and Solor.  Nikiya has been asked to dance for them and is given a basket of flowers that she thinks is from Solor, but which is actually from the Rajah and Gamzatti.  A poisonous snake is hidden among the flowers, and as Nikiya dances, she is fatally bitten.  The High Brahmin offers her an antidote to the poison, but Nikiya chooses to die rather than see Solor wed to Gamzatti.

Act II-The Tent of Solor.  Solor, alone, gives in to his grief over Nikiya’s death and smokes opium to deaden the pain.  His hallucinations lead him to the Kingdom of the Shades, where he is haunted by visions of Nikiya and memories of their love.Awakening, he realizes that he must prepare to marry Gamzatti.

Act III-The Temple.  During the wedding ceremony in the temple, a vision of Nikiya appears to Solor.  He kneels in repentance.  The ceremony begins, and when Gamzatti says her vows to Solor, he says his to his vision of Nikiya.  The infuriated gods destroy the palace and bury everyone under its ruins.  The spirits of Nikiya and Solor are reunited in the Kingdom of the Shades.