Cesare Pugni: Koniok Gorbunok, Ili Tsar-Devitsa Le Petit Cheval Bossu, Ou La Tsar-Demoiselle the Little Humpbacked Horse, or the Tsar-Maiden

Product Description Cesare Pugni was born in Genoa on 31 May 1802, and studied in Milan from 1815 to 1822, with Antonio Rollo and Bonifazio Asioli. He became a cymbalist in the theatre orchestra, and on the death of Vincenzo Lavigna, was appointed musical director. He later moved to Paris where he became director of the Paganini Institute and met the great choreographers of the time. He started an artistic collaboration that was to prove one of the most productive in the history of ballet - working closely with Jules Perrot, first in Paris, then in London. Here Pugni presented some of the most renowned ballets of the 19th century, such Esmeralda and the Pas de Quatre (in 1844 and 1845 respectively), which still find their place in some modern repertories. He also worked with Arthur Saint-Leon, Paolo Taglioni, Marius Petipa, and some of the greatest dancers of the century. Pugni followed Perrot to Russia and became official composer of the Imperial theatres in St Petersburg where he composed new ballets, notably Doch' Faraona (Pharaoh's Daughter) and Konyok Gorbunok (The Little Humpbacked Horse) (in 1862 and 1864 respectively). His most famous collaboration, with Marius Petipa, dominated these years, lasting until the composer's death on 26 January 1870. Pugni is remarkable for his enormous output of some 300 ballets (either original compositions or in arrangements). The story of Konyok Gorbunok is based on the popular fairy-tale by Pyotr Yershov, and tells of the spectacular deeds of Ivanushka with the help of the magical Little Humpbacked Horse. The ballet is of particular interest as being the first to be based on themes from Russian folklore, a particular interest of Arthur Saint-Leon who chose the theme and devised the scenario himself. The comical fairy-tale provided an opportunity for the confrontation and overlapping of three different worlds: the manners of the old Russian peasantry; the mystique and glamour of the Orient in the Court of the Khan; and the ideal kingdom of the classical dance that is imposed on the first two worlds. Saint-Leon's scenario also helped to establish certain set scene-types with their respective series of formalized dances: the adaptation of the Romantic fantastical transformation scene to an enchanted world (the underwater episode, or a dream sequence), and the pageant of national dances (often functioning as the final celebratory divertissement). These major generic episodes are found in all the big Russian ballets of the following decades The Slavic musical themes used by Pugni, combined with the classical dance, prepared the way for later works like Stavinsky's L'Oiseau de feu and Patrouchka. Despite the confused folklore, the ballet proved an instant success with audiences. The part of the Tsar Maiden was the last creation of Marfa Muravieva. It was frequently revived, most notably by Marius Petipa (St Petersburg, 1895) and by Alexander Gorsky (Moscow, 1901). In fact it became one of the most popular works in the repertory of the Imperial Theatre, and was given in St Petersburg over 200 times. This success extended into the Soviet era. A new ballet of the same title, with libretto by Vainonen and P. Maliarevsky, choreography by Radunsky, and a new score by Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin was premiered at the Moscow Bolshoi on 4 March 1960. About the Author Robert Ignatius Letellier has specialized in the music and literature of the Romantic Period. He has studied the work of Giacomo Meyerbeer (a four-volume English edition of his diaries, a collection of critical and biographical studies, a guide to research, two readings of the operas, as well as compiling and introducing editions of the complete libretti and non-operatic texts, and a selection of manuscripts facsimiles). He has also written on the ballets of Ludwig Minkus, compiled a series of scores on the Romantic Ballet, a sourcebook on the French opera-comique, a study of Daniel-Francois-Esprit Auber, and edited an