''Bacchus and Ariadne'' (), Op. 43 is a ballet score by the French composer

Albert Roussel Albert Charles Paul Marie Roussel (; 5 April 1869 – 23 August 1937) was a French composer. He spent seven years as a midshipman, turned to music as an adult, and became one of the most prominent French composers of the interwar period. His ...

written in 1930.

Ballet

Its composition roughly coincides with that of Roussel's Symphony No. 3. It describes the abduction of

Ariadne In Greek mythology, Ariadne (; ; ) was a Cretan princess, the daughter of King Minos of Crete. There are variations of Ariadne's myth, but she is known for helping Theseus escape from the Minotaur and being abandoned by him on the island of N ...

Dionysus In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, myth, Dionysus (; ) is the god of wine-making, orchards and fruit, vegetation, fertility, festivity, insanity, ritual madness, religious ecstasy, and theatre. He was also known as Bacchus ( or ; ...

. The Paris Opera premiered the two-act work under the direction of

Philippe Gaubert Philippe Gaubert (5 July 1879 – 8 July 1941) was a French musician who was a distinguished performer on the flute. He was a respected conducting, conductor and a composer, primarily for the flute.Edward Blakeman. 'Gaubert, Philippe' in ''Grov ...

on 22 May 1931, with choreography by

Serge Lifar Serge Lifar (, ''Serhіy Mуkhailovуch Lуfar'') ( 15 December 1986) was a Ukrainian dancer, choreographer, and one of the greatest male ballet dancers of the 20th century. Lifar was also a choreographer, director, writer, theoretician abou ...

and sets by

Giorgio de Chirico Giuseppe Maria Alberto Giorgio de Chirico ( ; ; 10 July 1888 – 20 November 1978) was an Italian artist and writer born in Greece. In the years before World War I, he founded the art movement, which profoundly influenced the surrealists. His ...

Orchestral Suites

Roussel created two orchestral suites from the score, the first premiered by

Charles Münch Charles Munch (; born Karl Münch; 26 September 1891 – 6 November 1968) was an Alsacian French symphonic conductor and violinist. Noted for his mastery of the French orchestral repertoire, he was best known as music director of the Boston ...

on 2 April 1933, and the second by

Pierre Monteux Pierre Benjamin Monteux (; 4 April 18751 July 1964) was a French (later American) conductor. After violin and viola studies, and a decade as an orchestral player and occasional conductor, he began to receive regular conducting engagements in 1 ...

a year later.

Style

A late work, the piece reflects Roussel's distinctive orchestration style and his preference for late classical rhythms and harmonies.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bacchus And Ariadne Ballets by Albert Roussel Ballets by Serge Lifar Ballets designed by Giorgio de Chirico 1931 ballets Orchestral suites Dionysus in art Ariadne