Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (russian: link=no, Лев Ива́нович Ива́нов; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901,

Saint Petersburg Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...

) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the

Imperial Ballet The Mariinsky Ballet (russian: Балет Мариинского театра) is the resident classical ballet company of the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Founded in the 18th century and originally known as the Imperial Russ ...

. As a performer with the

, he achieved prominence after performing as an understudy in a benefit performance of '' La Fille Mal Gardée''. He is most famous as the choreographer of Acts II and IV of '' Swan Lake'', which include the '' Dance of the Little Swans'', Act II of ''

Cinderella "Cinderella",; french: link=no, Cendrillon; german: link=no, Aschenputtel) or "The Little Glass Slipper", is a folk tale with thousands of variants throughout the world.Dundes, Alan. Cinderella, a Casebook. Madison, Wis: University of Wisconsi ...

'', and ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' ( rus, Щелкунчик, Shchelkunchik, links=no ) is an 1892 two-act ballet (""; russian: балет-феерия, link=no, ), originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov with a score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchai ...

'', which he choreographed alongside Marius Petipa.

Biography

Ivanov entered the Moscow School of Dance, but in 1844 moved to

where he studied at the

, becoming an official member of the Corps de ballet in 1852. Among his teachers during this time were Jean-Antoine Petipa, Alexandr Pimenov, Pierre Frédéric Malavergne and Emile Gredlu (). Historically, Ivanov is credited with choreographing the entirety of premiere of

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky , group=n ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer of the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music would make a lasting impression internationally. He wrote some of the most pop ...

's ballet ''

'' in 1892 due to the ill health of the ballet master, Marius Petipa. While some contemporary and modern accounts dispute this, Ivanov is still mentioned in '' The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Second Edition'' with choreographing at least the majority of the ballet as Petipa had reportedly not progressed very far in his work. Regardless of the amount of work he actually did, Petipa's was the only name listed for choreography on posters for the first production in St. Petersburg.Goodwin, ''New Grove (2001)'', 2:853. Ivanov worked with Petipa on a new restaging of Tchaikovsky's '' Swan Lake'' ballet in 1895. Ivanov choreographed the entirety of the lakeside acts or "white acts", Act II and Act IV. This includes the '' Dance of the Little Swans'', an iconic '' pas de quatre'' where the four cygnets huddle together and dance in unison, before breaking the chain and falling to the floor whilst attempting to fly. Ivanov also choreographed the ''Danse Vénitienne'' (Neapolitan/Venetian Dance) and the ''Pas Hongrois'' (Hungarian Dance) of the third bier scene.Goodwin, ''New Grove (2001)'', 2:584. In his last years Ivanov was in financial straits. On the strength of his 50 years' service he petitioned the Imperial Theatres for financial assistance.

Ballets

Original works

*'' La Forêt enchantée'' ( en. ''The Enchanted Forest''). Ballet-fantastique in one act. Music by

Riccardo Drigo Riccardo Eugenio Drigo ( ru. Риккардо Эудженьо Дриго) (30 June 18461 October 1930) was an Italian composer of ballet music and Italian opera, a theatrical conductor, and a pianist. Drigo is most noted for his long career a ...

. Imperial Ballet School, . Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . **revival by Marius Petipa. Peterhof, July 1889. *'' La Tulipe de Haarlem'' ( en. ''The Harlem Tulip''). Ballet-fantastique in three acts. Music by Baron Boris Fitinhoff-Schell. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . **revival by Claudia Kulichevskaya and

Pavel Gerdt Pavel Andreyevich Gerdt (russian: Па́вел Андре́евич Ге́рдт), also known as Paul Gerdt (near Saint Petersburg, Russia, 22 November 1844 – Vamaloki, Finland, 12 August 1917), was the ''Premier Danseur Noble'' of the Imperial ...

. Imperial Ballet School, . **revival by Alexander Shiryaev. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . *'' La Flûte magique'' ( en. ''The Magic Flute''). Ballet-comique in one act. Music by Riccardo Drigo. Imperial Ballet School, . Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . *'' La Ruse de Cupidon'' ( en. ''Cupid's Prank''). Ballet-anacréontique in one act. Music by Alexander Friedman. Krasnoe Selo, . Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . *'' La Beauté de Séville'' ( en. ''The Beauty of Seville''). Divertissement-ballet in one act. Music by various composers. Krasnoe Selo, . *'' La Fête des bateliers'' ( en. ''The Boatman's Festival''). Divertissement-ballet in one act. Music by Alexander Friedman. Krasnoe Selo, . *''

''. Ballet-féerie in two acts. Choreographed jointly with Marius Petipa. Music by

. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . *''

'' (a.k.a. ''Zolushka''). Ballet-féerie in three acts. Staged jointly with

Enrico Cecchetti Enrico Cecchetti (; 21 June 1850 – 13 November 1928) was an Italian ballet dancer, mime, and founder of the Cecchetti method. The son of two dancers from Civitanova Marche, he was born in the costuming room of the ''Teatro Tordinona'' in ...

and Marius Petipa. Music by Baron Boris Fitinhoff-Schell. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . **revival by Lev Ivanov. Bolshoi Theatre, Moscow, *'' Swan Lake''. Ballet-fantastique in three acts. Staged jointly with Marius Petipa. Music by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky, revised by Riccardo Drigo. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . *'' Acis et Galatée'' ( en. ''Acis and Galatea''). Ballet-mythologique in one act. Music by Andrei Kadlets. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . **revival by Alexander Shirayev. Imperial Ballet School, . *'' La Fille du Mikado'' ( en. ''The Mikado's Daughter''). Ballet-fantastique in three acts. Music by Baron Vasily Wrangell. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . *'' Egyptian Nights'' (a.k.a. ''Une Nuit d'Egypte'' or ''Nuits égyptiennes''). Divertissement-ballet in one act. Music by Anton Arensky. Never premiered. **revival by

Mikhail Fokine Michael Fokine, ''Mikhail Mikhaylovich Fokin'', group=lower-alpha ( – 22 August 1942) was a groundbreaking Imperial Russian choreographer and dancer. Career Early years Fokine was born in Saint Petersburg to a prosperous merchant and a ...

. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, . **revival by Mikhail Fokine as ''Cléopâtre'' for the Ballets Russes.

Théâtre du Châtelet The Théâtre du Châtelet () is a theatre and opera house, located in the place du Châtelet in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France. One of two theatres (the other being the Théâtre de la Ville) built on the site of a ''châtelet'', a ...

, Paris, 2 June 1909. *'' Sylvia''. Ballet-mythologique in three acts. Music by

Léo Delibes Clément Philibert Léo Delibes (; 21 February 1836 – 16 January 1891) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, best known for his ballets and French opera, operas. His works include the ballets ''Coppélia'' (1870) and ''Sylvia (ba ...

. Staging completed by Pavel Gerdt due to Ivanov's final illness and death. Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, .

References

* Goodwin, Noël, ed. Stanley Sadie, "Ballet (2. 19th Century)," ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, Second Edition''. (London: MacMilian, 2001), 29 vols. .

Notes

External links

The Ballet Encyclopedia entry for Lev Ivanov.

Archive film of Alexandra Danilova performing the Sugar Plum Fairy variation from The Nutcracker after Lev Ivanov in 1952 at Jacob's Pillow
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ivanov, Lev Russian ballet Choreographers of Mariinsky Theatre Ballet masters Ballet librettists 1834 births 1901 deaths *Lev Ivanov