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Tchaikovsky |
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TH 230 La BayadèreБаяадеркаProjected opera in three acts (1886).
HistoryThe 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 1888, the composer told Iuliia Shpazhinskaia that her husband had ‘immediately suggested to me another subject, namely Goethe’s Gott und die Bajaderka. 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 librett -- evn noting down a March theme to accompany the military procession -- he was reluctant to commit himself to the project. On 13 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 La 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 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). The story is based on a mystical Indian legend: A bayadere (exotic dancer), Nikia and the warrior Solor have sworn to be faithful to each other. However, the Great Brahmin is in love with Nikia, and he is angry to learn of her relationship with Solor. Without Nikia’s knowledge, Solor is selected to marry the Rajah’s daughter Hamsatti. The Great Brahmin tells the Rajah about Solor’s commitment to Nikia, and they conspire to murder Nikia by inviting her to dance at the pre-nuptial celebrations, and concealing a poisonous snake in the basket of flowers she will hold while dancing. Their plan succeeds, and Solor reluctantly goes through with the wedding to Hamsatti. As he dances with his new bride, the spirit of Nikia appears to him. When the Great Brahmin finally joins the couple’s hands in marriage, the gods destroy the palace and all its occupants to avenge Nikia’s murder. The spirits of Nikia and Solor are finally reunited, and spirited away. From: The Tchaikovsky Handbook, vol. 1 (2002), p.
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