La Source (Saint-Léon)
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''La source (The Spring)'' is a ballet in three acts/four scenes with a
score SCORE may refer to: *SCORE (software), a music scorewriter program * SCORE (television), a weekend sports service of the defunct Financial News Network *SCORE! Educational Centers *SCORE International, an offroad racing organization *Sarawak Corrido ...
composed 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 (b ...
and
Ludwig Minkus Ludwig Minkus (), also known as Léon Fyodorovich Minkus (23 March 1826, Vienna – 7 December 1917, Vienna), was an Austrian composer of ballet music, a violinist and teacher of music. Minkus is noted for the music he composed during his caree ...
(Minkus: Act I & Act III-Scene 2/Delibes: Act II & Act III-Scene 1) which was premiered in Paris in 1866 with choreography by
Arthur Saint-Léon Arthur Saint-Léon (17 September 1821, in Paris – 2 September 1870) was the '' Maître de Ballet'' of St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet from 1859 until 1869 and is famous for creating the choreography of the ballet '' Coppélia''. Biography He ...
. In 1878 in Vienna it was called ''Naïla, die Quellenfee'' (''Naïla, the Waternymph'').


History

The choreography was by
Arthur Saint-Léon Arthur Saint-Léon (17 September 1821, in Paris – 2 September 1870) was the '' Maître de Ballet'' of St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet from 1859 until 1869 and is famous for creating the choreography of the ballet '' Coppélia''. Biography He ...
, who collaborated with
Charles Nuitter Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was ...
in the libretto. The original designs were by
Édouard Desplechin Édouard Desplechin His name is often spelt "Despléchin" » with an acute accent. (12 April 1802 – 10 December 1871), was a 19th-century French scenic designer, one of the most famous of his time. Biography He created numerous settings for ...
,
Jean-Baptiste Lavastre Jean-Baptiste Lavastre (24 August 1839 – 24 April 1891) was a French landscape painter and scenic designer. Biography A student of Édouard Desplechin as soon as 1854 when he was only fifteen (and then his associate from 1864 to 1870), Je ...
,
Auguste Rubé Auguste may refer to: People Surname * Arsène Auguste (1951–1993), Haitian footballer * Donna Auguste (born 1958), African-American businesswoman * Georges Auguste (born 1933), Haitian painter * Henri Auguste (1759–1816), Parisian gold ...
, Chaperon (sets) and Paul Lormier (costumes). The first production opened at the
Théâtre Impérial de l´Opéra The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
in Paris on 12 November 1866, with Guglielmina Salvioni (Naïla), Eugenie Fiocre (Nouredda) and
Louis Mérante Louis Alexandre Mérante (23 July 1828–Courbevoie, 17 July 1887) was a dancer and choreographer, the ''Maître de Ballet'' (First Balletmaster/Chief Choreographer) of the Paris Opera Ballet at the Salle Le Peletier until its destruction by fire ...
(Djémil) in the principal roles. The production was not particularly successful, Salvioni being considered unsuited to the rôle of Naïla. It triumphed in the following year, however, with Adèle Grantzow as Naïla, and remained a mainstay of the repertory for the next few years. A successful revival in 1872 showcased
Rita Sangalli Rita Sangalli (20 August 1849 – 3 November 1909) was an Italian ballet dancer. Born in Antegnate, she danced in the Italian provinces of Asti, Piacenza, and Turin, making her 1865 debut at Milan's La Scala in Paul Taglioni's (1808-1884) ''F ...
in the principal rôle, and it was for this production that the new variations for Naïla were introduced, the music most likely by Delibes himself (Nos. 12b and 23a in the list of musical numbers in the piano score, see below). Delibes was second chorus master at the
Paris Opera The Paris Opera ( ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be kn ...
and had until then written operettas, songs and sacred music. A comparison of the music of the two composers greatly favoured Delibes, whose contributions were considered "fresh and more rhythmic", with one critic suggesting that the whole ballet score should have been assigned to Delibes. ''La source'' was his first big success, marking him as an important composer for the ballet. ''La source'' was produced in
St Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...
in 1902 with
Olga Preobrajenska Olga Iosifovna Preobrajenska (; born Preobrazhenskaya; – 27 December 1962) was a Russian ballerina of the Russian Imperial Ballet and a ballet instructor. Biography She was born in Saint Petersburg as Olga Preobrazhenskaya (the final sy ...
as Naïla, choreographed by
Achille Coppini Achille (, ) is a French and Italian masculine given name, derived from the Greek mythological hero Achilles. It may refer to: People Artists * Achille Beltrame (1871–1945), Italian painter * Achille Calici (c. 1565–?), Italian painter * ...
. In 1907
Nijinsky Vaslav or Vatslav Nijinsky (12 March 1889/18908 April 1950) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer of Polish ancestry. He is regarded as the greatest male dancer of the early 20th century. Nijinsky was celebrated for his virtuosity and f ...
made his solo debut in the last act of ''La source'' at the Mariinsky. The ballet was revived in 1925 by
Agrippina Vaganova Agrippina Yakovlevna Vaganova (; 26 June 1879 – 5 November 1951) was a Soviet and Russian ballet teacher who developed the Vaganova method – the technique which derived from the teaching methods of the old Imperial Ballet School (today the ...
to the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Leningrad to her pupil
Marina Semyonova Marina Timofeyevna Semyonova (, , Saint Petersburg – 9 June 2010, Moscow) was the first Soviet-trained prima ballerina. She was named a People's Artist of the USSR in 1975, and a Hero of Socialist Labour in 1988. Early life The first great d ...
– Marina Semyonova started to work on the scene from this ballet. A video of the ''La source'' pas de deux taken from the 2008 graduation performance of the
Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet The Vaganova Academy of Russian Ballet is a school of classical ballet in St Petersburg, Russia. Established in 1738 during the reign of Empress Anna, the academy was known as the Imperial Ballet School until the Soviet era, when, after a brief h ...
at the
Mariinsky Theatre The Mariinsky Theatre (, also transcribed as Maryinsky or Mariyinsky) is a historic opera house in Saint Petersburg, Russia. Opened in 1860, it became the preeminent music theatre of late 19th-century Russia, where many of the stage masterpieces ...
, St. Petersburg, may be found on YouTube, the choreography credited to
Konstantin Sergeyev Konstantin Mikhailovich Sergeyev (; – 1 April 1992) was a Soviet and Russian ballet dancer, ballet master, pedagogue and choreographer for the Kirov Theatre. When the Kirov Ballet returned to Leningrad from Perm (where it had been moved durin ...
after Coppini and possibly created for Preobrajenskaya; the music is by
Riccardo Drigo Riccardo Eugenio Drigo (; 30 June 1846 – 1 October 1930) was an Italian composer of ballet music and Italian opera, a theatrical Conducting, conductor, and a pianist. Drigo is most noted for his long career as kapellmeister and Director of Mu ...
, composer of most of the additional dances added to the company's repertory in the early 20th century.


Synopsis

Act 1. On her way to marry the Khan of Ghendjib, the beautiful Nouredda and her accompanying party rest by a stream in a rocky desert. When Nouredda admires a flower which is growing in an inaccessible spot, Djémil, a young hunter, climbs up and picks it for her. Nouredda is thrilled and asks him to state whatever he wishes as his reward. He asks her to lift her veil so that he can see her face: in fury she orders that he be tied up and left to his fate. However, the nymph Naïla rescues him; she is in love with him and promises to help him win the hand of Nouredda. Act 2. In the grand palace gardens, where the court of Khan is awaiting Nouredda's arrival, entertainment is offered to the guests: a solo for the favourites and a dance for Circassian slaves. A fanfare proclaims a visitor, incognito (Djémil), who proffers presents for the Khan and his bride. The visitor asks Nouredda to choose any of the gifts and she selects a jewelled flower. Djémil throws it on the ground and magically a spring gushes forth from this spot and Naïla emerges from the fountain. She dances, entrancing the Khan, who kneels in front of her and he implores her to become his wife. She consents, provided he dismisses Nouredda, who angrily goes off as the Khan leads Naïla inside the palace. Act 3. Djémil can now pursue Nouredda but she still rejects him; so he appeals to Naïla, who says that if he gets Nouredda to love him she herself will die. Djémil agrees, and as he departs with Nouredda, Naïla disappears back into the earth and the spring dries up.


Musical numbers, following the piano score of 1880

Act 1 (Léon Minkus) *Prélude *1. Introduction fantastique *2. L'Ephémère – Scène dansée *3. Scène *4. Marche de la caravane *5. Berceuse *6. Pas de la guzla **a) Andantino **b) Vivace *7. Scène *8. Scène dansée (Apparition de Naïla) *9. Valse *10. Scène et danse *11. Danse des sylphes et des lutins *12. Variation **a) Variation de Naïla (Mlle. Salvioni) (1860) **b) Nouvelle variation de Naíla (Mlle. Sangalli) (1872, replacing No. 12a) *13. Scène et danse *14. Galop *15. Scène finale Act 2 (Léo Delibes) *Introduction *16. Scène *17. Scène: Arrivée de Nouredda *18. Divertissement ** a) Pas des voiles ** b) Andante ** c) Variation ** d) Danse circassienne *19. Scène *20. Pas de Naïla. Scherzo-Polka *21. Scène et pas d'action *22. Mazurka *23 Scène **a) Nouvelle variation de Naïla (Mlle Sangalli) (1872, replacing No. 20) **b) Scène *24. Marche dansée et final Act 3, Scene 1 (Léo Delibes) *Introduction *25. Scène *26. Romance *27. Final Act 3, Scene 2 (Léon Minkus) *28 Scène *29 Scène et danse


The 'Naïla' valse

Delibes was asked in 1867 to add a
divertissement ''Divertissement'' (from the French 'diversion' or 'amusement') is used, in a similar sense to the Italian 'divertimento', for a light piece of music for a small group of players, however the French term has additional meanings. During the 17th an ...
, known as either 'Le jardin animé' or 'Le pas des fleurs', to a revival of Adolphe Adam's ballet '
Le Corsaire ''Le Corsaire'' is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem '' The Corsair'' by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to ...
'. Part of his contribution was the waltz frequently known as the 'Naïla' waltz. It appears that it was transferred to one of the productions of 'La Source' when it was performed under the name of 'Naïla'. There are references to a version of that name using only Delibes's original music, although exact details are elusive. One might assume that it was for this production that the '
Le Corsaire ''Le Corsaire'' is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem '' The Corsair'' by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to ...
' divertissement found its way into the score of 'Naïla'.


''La Source'' suites

Three orchestral suites consisting of excerpts from the ballet were arranged either by Delibes or another hand. The 2nd suite contains some music by Minkus, although the suites are attributed to Delibes. Suite 1 *a) Pas des écharpes (No. 18a, 'Pas des voiles', ''Delibes'') *b) Variation (No. 18c, 'Variation', ''Delibes'') *c) Scène d'amour (No. 18b, 'Andante', ''Delibes'') *d) Danse circassienne (No. 18d, 'Danse circassienne', ''Delibes'') Suite 2 *a) Scène dansée (A conflation of parts of No. 19, 'Scène', No. 17, 'Scène. Arrivée de Nouredda' and No. 16, 'Scène', all ''Delibes''.) *b) Scherzo-Polka (No. 20, 'Scherzo-Polka', ''Delibes'') *c) Pas de la guzla (No. 6a, ' as de la guzlaAndantino', ''Minkus'', followed by part of No. 16, 'Scène', ''Delibes'') *d) Marche dansée et Final (No. 23b, 'Scène', ''Delibes'', followed by No. 24, 'Marche dansée et Final', ''Delibes'') Suite 3 *a) Incantation (Sections 2 and 3 of No. 25, 'Scène', ''Delibes'', arranged in reverse order) *b) Romance (Section 1 of No. 25, 'Scène', ''Delibes'', followed by No. 26, 'Romance', ''Delibes'') *c) Introduction et Mazurka (No. 23a, 'Nouvelle Variation de Naïla', ''Delibes'', followed by No. 22, 'Mazurka', ''Delibes''.) *d) Finale (Opening measures of No. 16, 'Scène', followed by No. 21, 'Grand Pas d'action', and slightly abbreviated arrangement of No. 27, 'Final'. ''Delibes'') The suites contain almost all of Delibes's contribution to ''La Source'', albeit arranged in an order designed for concert performance.


Other productions

*
Teatro alla Scala La Scala (, , ; officially , ) is a historic opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as (, which previously was a church). The premiere performance was Antonio Salieri's ''Europa r ...
with choreography by Cesare Marzagora after Saint-Léon, Milan, 1875/1876 *
New York City Ballet New York City Ballet (NYCB) is a ballet company founded in 1948 by choreographer George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein. Balanchine and Jerome Robbins are considered the founding choreographers of the company. Léon Barzin was the company's fir ...
, choreography by
George Balanchine George Balanchine (; Various sources: * * * * born Georgiy Melitonovich Balanchivadze;, Romanization of Georgian, : April 30, 1983) was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer, recognized as one of the most influential choreographers ...
, premiere 23 November,
New York State Theater The David H. Koch Theater is a theater for ballet and dance at Lincoln Center in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. Originally named the New York State Theater, the venue has been home to the New York City Ballet sinc ...
,
Lincoln Center Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts (also simply known as Lincoln Center) is a complex of buildings in the Lincoln Square neighborhood on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. It has thirty indoor and outdoor facilities and is host to 5  ...
, 1968


Discography

Complete score (with cuts) *
Richard Bonynge Richard Alan Bonynge ( ) (born 29 September 1930) is an Australian conductor and pianist. He is the widower of Australian dramatic coloratura soprano Dame Joan Sutherland. Bonynge conducted virtually all of Sutherland's operatic performances ...
and the
Orchestra of the Royal Opera House The Royal Opera House (ROH) is a theatre in Covent Garden, central London. The building is often referred to as simply Covent Garden, after a previous use of the site. The ROH is the main home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet, and the Orch ...
(1990) (Decca) Suites *Andrew Mogrelia and the Slovak Radio Orchestra (1995) (Naxos) – Suites 2 and 3 only *Victor Olof and the
Suisse Romande Orchestra The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande (OSR) is a Swiss symphony orchestra, based in Geneva at the Victoria Hall. In addition to symphony concerts, the OSR performs as the opera orchestra in productions at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. History E ...
(1953) (
Decca Decca may refer to: Music * Decca Records or Decca Music Group, record label * Decca Gold, classical music record label owned by Universal Music Group * Decca Broadway, musical theater record label * Decca Studios, recording facility in West ...
) – Suite 1 only (LW 5034) Excerpts from Delibes part of the score *
Charles Mackerras Sir Alan Charles MacLaurin Mackerras (; (17 November 1925 – 14 July 2010) was an American-born Australian conductor. He was an authority on the operas of Janáček and Mozart, and the comic operas of Gilbert and Sullivan. He was long associ ...
and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House (1956) (EMI) *
Peter Maag Ernst Peter Johannes Maag (10 May 1919 – 16 April 2001) was a Swiss conductor. Early life Peter Maag was born on 10 May 1919 in St. Gallen, Switzerland and died on 16 April 2001 in Verona, Italy. His father, Otto, was a Lutheran minister, ...
and the Paris Conservatoire Orchestra (1958) (Decca) Le jardin animé – Delibes contribution to
Adolphe Adam Adolphe Charles Adam (; 24 July 1803 – 3 May 1856) was a French composer, teacher and music critic. A prolific composer for the theatre, he is best known today for his ballets ''Giselle'' (1841) and ''Le corsaire'' (1856), his operas ''Le post ...
's 'Le Corsaire', including the 'Naïla' waltz *
Richard Bonynge Richard Alan Bonynge ( ) (born 29 September 1930) is an Australian conductor and pianist. He is the widower of Australian dramatic coloratura soprano Dame Joan Sutherland. Bonynge conducted virtually all of Sutherland's operatic performances ...
and the
English Chamber Orchestra The English Chamber Orchestra (ECO) is a British chamber orchestra based in London. The full orchestra regularly plays concerts at Cadogan Hall, and their ensemble performs at Wigmore Hall. With a limited performance size, the orchestra spe ...
(1992) (Decca) The CHARM database also lists other recordings of excerpts from the ballet: the Orchestre du Théâtre national de l'Opéra-Comique conducted by Albert Wolff (1956) for Pathé, and the Orchestre philharmonique de Paris conducted by Gustave Cloëz (1930) for Odéon.Discographical data from The CHARM Discography, Centre for the History and Analysis of Recorded Music, , Retrieved 15 May 2013.


Footnotes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Source, La (Delibes Minkus) Ballets by Ludwig Minkus Ballets by Arthur Saint-Léon Ballets by Charles Nuitter 1860s ballets 1866 works Ballets by Léo Delibes Collaborations in classical music Ballets premiered at the Paris Opera Ballet Orchestral suites