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La Bayadére

Баяадерка

Projected opera in three acts (1886).

History

The subject was first suggested by Ippolit Shpazhinskii in May 1888, after Tchaikovsky had finally rejected his libretto for The Captain’s Daughter). On 30 May/11 June 1888, the composer told Iuliia Shpazhinskaia that her husband had "immediately suggested to me another subject, namely Goethe’s Der Gott und die Bajadere. Last year I[ppolit] V[asil´evich] wrote part of a scenario on this theme for the French composer Simon, who lives in Moscow. But nothing came of it with Simon, and now it is quite possible that I shall write an opera on this wholly lyrical subject to I[ppolit] V[asil´evich]’s very accomplished scenario" [1]. On the same day, Shpazhinskii sent his libretto to the composer [2].

Although during the summer Tchaikovsky reviewed Shpazhinskii's libretto—even noting down a March theme to accompany the military procession—he was reluctant to commit himself to the project. On 13/25 August, the composer told the Director of the Imperial Theatres, Ivan Vsevolozhskii, that "I have not yet decided whether to collaborate with him [i.e. Shpazhinskii], and write an opera on this subject. We shall discuss this matter in the autumn" [3].

Vsevolozhskii’s reply two days later sought to dissuade the composer from committing himself to the opera: "About your desire to take up Shpazhinskii’s version of The Bayadere’s Love-Story. It seems that of all the well-known authors, he is the most terre à terre... Secondly, there is already an opera on the subject—Auber’s Le Dieu et la Bajadère [...] Finally, so far as the production is concerned, an Indian subject would be a nightmare to stage" [4]. Tchaikovsky’s reply of 22 August/3 September 1888 shows that he had been duly convinced, and that "as from today" he would concern himself only with the new ballet The Sleeping Beauty [5].

However, shortly afterwards Tchaikovsky considered another libretto based on the same subject (see The Courtesan).

From: The Tchaikovsky Handbook, vol. 1 (2002), p. 411
Copyright © 2002 Alexander Poznansky and Brett Langston

Notes:

1. Letter 3580 to Iuliia Shpazhinskaia, 30 May/11 June 1888 [back]
2. Letter from Ippolit Shpazhinskii to Tchaikovsky, 30 May/11 June 1888 — Klin House-Museum Archive [back]
3. Letter 3643 to Ivan Vsevolozhskii, 13/25 August 1888 [back]
4. Letter from Ivan Vsevolozhskii to Tchaikovsky, 15/27 August 1888 [back]
5. Letter 3647 to Ivan Vsevolozhskii, 22 August/3 September 1888 [back]