Ballet

La Bayadère

Aaron S. Watkin

The title of this ballet was defined in 19th century France and originated from the Eurocentric view of ›oriental‹ temple dancers. However, the term ›bayadère‹, did not distinguish between dancers who performed in the context of entertainment and devadasis (servants of God).

Due to the setting of the plot in the »exotic« subject, its dramaturgical structure as well as the opulently designed and technically versatile stage fairy-tale, the action ballet »La Bayadère« (1877), created by Marius Petipa and Ludwig Minkus, is considered a »grand spectacle«: committed to the spirit of romanticism, it tells the fantastic and tragic love story between the temple dancer Nikjia, who – contrary to her religious obligations – has given her heart to the warrior Solor, who is, however, promised to another woman, so that the couple can only find a happy ending in a parallel dream world.

Ballet in two acts by Aaron S. Watkin after Marius Petipa

Music by Ludwig Minkus

Premiere
30. November 2008,

No further performances in the current season.

Premiere cast

Handlung & Choreografie nach Marius Petipa Aaron S. Watkin
Mise en scène und Handlung Francine Watson Coleman
Music Ludwig Minkus
Musical Arrangement David Coleman
Set Design Arne Walther
Costume Design Erik Västhed
Lighting Design Bert Dalhuysen
Dramaturgy Katharina Riedeberger
Conductor Tom Seligman
Nikiya, A Temple Dancer Sangeun Lee, Kanako Fujimoto, Svetlana Gileva
Solor, A Noble Warrior Julian Amir Lacey, Gareth Haw
Hamsatti, Daughter of Radscha Ayaha Tsunaki, Aidan Gibson, Anna Nevzorova
Kanj, der Hohe Brahmane Christian Bauch
Der Radscha Hannes-Detlef Vogel
Die Rani, Mutter Hamsattis Carola Schwab
Ekavir, Freund von Solor Skyler Maxey-Wert, Kristóf Kovács, Johannes Goldbach
Madhavan, der oberste Fakir Francesco Pio Ricci, Alejandro Azorín
The Golden Idol Jón Vallejo, Alejandro Azorín, Rodrigo Pinto

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Generously supported of the Semperoper Foundation