''Sylvia'', originally ''Sylvia, ou La nymphe de Diane'', is a full-length

classical ballet Classical ballet is any of the traditional, formal styles of ballet that exclusively employ classical ballet technique. It is known for its aesthetics and rigorous technique (such as en pointe, pointe work, turnout (ballet), turnout of the legs, ...

in two or three acts, first

choreographed Choreography is the art of designing sequences of movements of physical bodies (or their depictions) in which motion or form or both are specified. ''Choreography'' may also refer to the design itself. A choreographer creates choreographies thr ...

by Louis Mérante to 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 (b ...

. The ballet's premiere took place on 14 June 1876 at the

Palais Garnier The (, Garnier Palace), also known as (, Garnier Opera), is a historic 1,979-seatBeauvert 1996, p. 102. opera house at the Place de l'Opéra in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France. It was built for the Paris Opera from 1861 to 1875 at the ...

, but was largely unnoticed by the

critic A critic is a person who communicates an assessment and an opinion of various forms of creative works such as Art criticism, art, Literary criticism, literature, Music journalism, music, Film criticism, cinema, Theater criticism, theater, Fas ...

s. The first seven productions were commercially unsuccessful, but the 1952 revival, choreographed by

Frederick Ashton Sir Frederick William Mallandaine Ashton (17 September 190418 August 1988) was a British ballet dancer and choreographer. He also worked as a director and choreographer in opera, film and revue. Determined to be a dancer despite the oppositio ...

, popularized the work. Productions in 1997, 2004, 2005, and 2009 productions were all based on Ashton's choreography.

History

Preparations

The origins of the

ballet Ballet () is a type of performance dance that originated during the Italian Renaissance in the fifteenth century and later developed into a concert dance form in France and Russia. It has since become a widespread and highly technical form of ...

''Sylvia'' are in the Italian poet Tasso's play ''

Aminta ''Aminta'' is a play written by Torquato Tasso in 1573, represented during a garden party at the court of Ferrara. Both the actors and the public were noble persons living at the Court, who could understand subtle allusions the poet made to that ...

'' (1573), which provided the basic plot for the French composer Leo Delibes to set to music.

Jules Barbier Paul Jules Barbier (; 8 March 182516 January 1901) was a French poet, writer and opera librettist who often wrote in collaboration with Michel Carré.

and Baron de Reinach adapted this for 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 ...

. The piano arrangement was composed in 1876 and the

orchestral suite A suite, in Western classical music, is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral/concert band pieces. It originated in the late 14th century as a pairing of dance tunes; and grew in scope so that by the early 17th century it comprised up to f ...

was done in 1880. In 1875, the Paris Opera chose Barbier and Reinach's

libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...

for ''Sylvia''. The decision to invite Louis Mérante to choreograph the ballet was based primarily on Mérante's experience in the field and position as the ''premier maître de ballet'' at the Paris Opera. Other suitable choreographers were unavailable. Rehearsals for ''Sylvia'' began on 15 August 1875, when only the first third of the music was complete. Delibes revised his music throughout the rehearsal period, helped by Mérante and the lead dancer Rita Sangalli. The score's development was made more difficult by Mérante, who demanded that Delibes make changes to the score to accommodate the choreography.

14 june 1876 premiere

''Sylvia, ou la nymphe de Diane'' was the first ballet to be shown at the newly built Opera Garnier. The scenery for the ballet, designed by the artist

Jules Chéret Jules Chéret (31 May 1836 – 23 September 1932) was a French painter and lithographer who became a master of ''Belle Époque'' poster art. He has been called the father of the modern poster. Early life and career Born in Paris to a poor bu ...

, was lavish but suffered from poor

stage lighting Stage lighting is the craft of lighting as it applies to the production of theater, dance, opera, and other performance arts.

. The costumes, designed by Lacoste were well appreciated. In the end it was Delibes' score that saved the production. Without such highly esteemed music, the ballet would have soon drifted into obscurity. At the age of 27, Sangalli was the Opéra's principal

ballerina A ballet dancer is a person who practices the art of classical ballet. Both females and males can practice ballet. They rely on years of extensive training and proper technique to become a part of a professional ballet company. Ballet dancer ...

and thus the obvious choice to star as Sylvia. Sangalli was described as having a "superb physique", but not spectacular dancing skills. Nonetheless, she was the only ballerina taught the rôle, and on one occasion the ballet had to be temporarily closed when she injured herself.

1901 Russian production

Among the important versions of ''Sylvia, ou la nymphe de Diane'' that followed the original 1876 production in Paris was one presented by the Imperial Ballet 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 Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea. The city had a population of 5,601, ...

, Russia on . The ballet had been performed in Russia before. In 1886 the ballerina

Antonietta Dell'Era Antonietta Dell'Era (10 February 1860 Milan 22 June 1945 Berlin) was an Italian ''prima ballerina'' best known for originating the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Tchaikovsky's ballet, ''The Nutcracker'' (1892). Dance c ...

, notable for creating the role of the Sugar Plum Fairy in ''

The Nutcracker ''The Nutcracker'' (, ), Opus number, Op. 71, is an 1892 two-act classical ballet (conceived as a '; ) by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, set on Christmas Eve at the foot of a Christmas tree in a child's imagination featuring a Nutcracker doll. Th ...

'', had performed excerpts from ''Sylvia'' at the Arcadia Theatre of St. Petersburg, and in 1892, Carlotta Brianza, who created the role of Princess Aurora in '' The Sleeping Beauty'', performed the full-length work at the Fantasia Theatre in Moscow. The Mariinsky Theatre's production was originally planned for the 1900–1901 season in a staging supervised by

Sergei Diaghilev Sergei Pavlovich Diaghilev ( ; rus, Серге́й Па́влович Дя́гилев, , sʲɪrˈɡʲej ˈpavləvʲɪdʑ ˈdʲæɡʲɪlʲɪf; 19 August 1929), also known as Serge Diaghilev, was a Russian art critic, patron, ballet impresario an ...

, with décors and costumes designed by Alexandre Benois and choreography by the brothers Sergei and

Nikolai Legat Nikolai Gustavovich Legat () (30 December 1869, in Moscow – 24 January 1937, in London) was a ballet dancer, choreographer and teacher. Life and career Nikolai Legat was born to a family of Swedish origin, all of whom were dancers—h ...

. But differences between Diaghilev and the director of the Imperial Theatres, Serge Wolkonsky, led to the project's cancellation as well as the end of Diaghilev's association with the Imperial Theatres, an event that led Diaghilev to eventually form the original

Ballets Russes The Ballets Russes () was an itinerant ballet company begun in Paris that performed between 1909 and 1929 throughout Europe and on tours to North and South America. The company never performed in Russia, where the Russian Revolution, Revolution ...

in 1909. Nevertheless, the ballet was rescheduled for the 1901–1902 season in a version mounted by the Imperial Theatre's '

Lev Ivanov Lev Ivanovich Ivanov (; 2 March 1834, Moscow – 24 December 1901, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian ballet dancer and choreographer and later, Second Balletmaster of the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet. As a performer with the Mariinsky Ballet, ...

, whose death in December 1901 caused the director to hand the project over to the noted '

Pavel Gerdt Pavel Andreyevich Gerdt (), also known as Paul Gerdt (22 November 1844, near Saint Petersburg, Russia – 12 August 1917, in Vamaloki, Finland, Russian Republic), was the ''Premier Danseur Noble'' of the Mariinsky Ballet, Imperial Ballet, the Bol ...

. Ivanov changed the ballet's title to ''Sylvia''. The cast included the great ''prima ballerina'' Olga Preobrajenska in the title role and the danseur Sergei Legat as the shepherd Aminta. Also included among the ballet's secondary characters was a young Agrippina Vaganova as a nymph of the Goddess Diana, and Pavel Gerdt in the rôle of Orion. Although the dances of the ballerina Preobrajenska were a great success, the first performance was not. The editor-publisher of the , , himself a ballet expert and noted for co-authoring the librettos for several ballets staged at the Mariinsky, was one of several critics who complained that the Ivanov/Gerdt choreography was of poor quality, and that the libretto was extremely slight. Another element that contributed to the ballet's failure was the fact that the direction did not allow any new décors to be created, and instead sets were utilized from works that were no longer being performed. After five performances ''Sylvia'' was removed from the company's

repertoire Repertory or repertoire () is the list or set of works a person or company is accustomed to performing. Whether the English or French spelling is used has no bearing, but it was the French word, with an accent on the first e, , that first took ho ...

; excerpts from the ballet were included in gala events. The ballerina

Anna Pavlova Anna Pavlovna Pavlova. (born Anna Matveyevna Pavlova; – 23 January 1931) was a Russian prima ballerina. She was a principal artist of the Imperial Russian Ballet and the Ballets Russes of Sergei Diaghilev, but is most recognized for creating ...

occasionally included many of these extracts from the 1902 production on her world tours in a revised staging by balletmaster Ivan Clustine. In attendance for one of her London appearances was a young

, whose memories of Pavlova's performance would inspire him to create his own renowned version in 1952, for the ballerina

Margot Fonteyn Dame Margaret Evelyn de Arias Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, DBE ( Hookham; 18 May 191921 February 1991), known by the stage name Margot Fonteyn (), was an English ballerina. She spent her entire career as a dancer with th ...

Other productions

1952: The Royal Ballet

Ashton re-choreographed ''Sylvia'' in 1952.Watts, Graham (2004)
"Royal Ballet's ''Sylvia'' Review from ballet.co"
. Retrieved June 5, 2005. He placed a strong emphasis on the lead role, and designed the ballet as a tribute to Fonteyn. The American drama critic Clive Barnes noted that "the whole ballet is a garland presented to the ballerina by her choreographer." Ashton's production was performed by the

Royal Ballet The Royal Ballet is a British internationally renowned classical ballet company, based at the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden, London, England. The largest of the five major ballet companies in Great Britain, the Royal Ballet was founded ...

at 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 ...

, London on 3 September 1952. Ashton adjusted Barbier's libretto to increase the audience's interest in the story. Along with Fonteyn, Aminta was played by

Michael Somes Michael George Somes CBE (28 September 191718 November 1994), was an English ballet dancer. He was a principal dancer of The Royal Ballet, London, and the frequent partner of Margot Fonteyn. Early years Somes was born in Horsley, Gloucestersh ...

, and Orion by John Hart and Eros by Alexander Grant.

2004: San Francisco Ballet

When the

San Francisco Ballet San Francisco Ballet is the oldest ballet company in the United States, founded in 1933 as the San Francisco Opera Ballet under the leadership of ballet master Adolph Bolm. The company is currently based in the War Memorial Opera House, San Fra ...

opened their production of ''Sylvia'' in April 2004, it was the first time that the full ballet was shown in the United States. This production is also the only recent one not to be based on Ashton's work. At the request of Helgi Tomasson, Mark Morris choreographed it based on the original 1876 production and adhered quite closely to Mérante's methodology and style. As Morris said, "I'm using the score and libretto exactly as they're built". Morris's reasoning behind this is quite simple: the nature of the music is inextricably intertwined with Louis Mérante's choreography, a consequence of the circumstances of composition. Because of this, Morris's revival of ''Sylvia'' is very true to the original, more so than any other recent production. The San Francisco Ballet performed ''Sylvia'' from April 21 through May 7, 2006, after successful runs in 2004 and 2005. At the premiere in 2004, the lead was Yuan Yuan Tan.Simpson, Michael Wade (May 3, 2004)
"Morris' 'Sylvia' forgoes showy dancing for an old-fashioned, irony-free romance"
''San Francisco Chronicle''. Retrieved June 29, 2005.

2004: Royal Ballet

This production of ''Sylvia'', the Royal Ballet's third, performed November 4 to December 3, 2004, as a part of the "Ashton 100" celebration, a season dedicated to the company's founder. The ballet was recreated by Christopher Newton who (from both mental and visual records) reconstructed Ashton's original choreography and staged it for the Royal Ballet. While it ran, there were three different casts. The first consisted of

Darcey Bussell Dame Darcey Andrea Bussell (born Marnie Mercedes Darcey Pemberton Crittle; 27 April 1969) is a retired English ballet dancer, ballerina and a former judge on the BBC television dance contest ''Strictly Come Dancing''. Trained at the Arts Educ ...

and Jonathan Cope, the second of Zenaida Yanowsky and David Makhateli and the third of Marianela Núñez and Rupert Pennefather."''Sylvia'': The Royal Ballet"
Retrieved January 25, 2012

2005: American Ballet Theatre

Ashton's ''Sylvia'' was also re-staged by Newton for The Metropolitan Opera House, where it was performed by the

American Ballet Theatre American Ballet Theatre (ABT) is a classical ballet company based in New York City. Founded in 1939 by Lucia Chase and Richard Pleasant. Through 2019, it had an annual eight-week season at the Metropolitan Opera House (Lincoln Center) in the spr ...

. Newton's version is shortened (originally the ballet included some music from '' La Source'') to be shown in two acts, with a musical break in place of the second intermission. The last production at the Metropolitan Opera, as of June 4, 2005, had Paloma Herrera cast as Sylvia,

Angel Corella Angel Corella López is a Spanish former principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre (the only Spaniard to have achieved such a position in history) and guest artist with The Royal Ballet, Kirov Ballet, New York City Ballet, La Scala and ...

as Aminta, Jesus Pastor as Orion, Craig Salstein as Eros and Carmen Corella as Diana.

2019: Houston Ballet

Choreographed by Stanton Welch AM of the Houston Ballet, this 2019 production of ''Sylvia'' was co-produced with

The Australian Ballet The Australian Ballet (TAB) is the largest classical ballet company in Australia. It was founded by J. C. Williamson Theatres Ltd and the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust in 1962, with the English-born dancer, teacher, repetiteur a ...

. Welch returned to the three-act format and elevated the roles of some of minor characters. He was joined by Jérôme Kaplan for sets and costumes, Lisa J. Pinkham for lighting, and Wendall K. Harrington for effects achieved with projections. The lead roles of Sylvia and the shepherd alternated between two duos: Karina Gonzalez and Connor Walsh, and Nozomi Iijima and Ian Casady. The production subsequently made its Australian premiere in November 2019 at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

Style

Music

''Sylvia'' is one of the first modern ballets.Vaughan, David (2004)
"Frederick Ashton and His Ballets"
Retrieved June 5, 2005.

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

himself remarked to fellow composer

Sergei Taneyev Sergey Ivanovich Taneyev (, ; – ) was a Russian composer, pianist, teacher of musical composition, composition, music theorist and author. Life Taneyev was born in Vladimir, Russia, Vladimir, Vladimir Governorate, Russian Empire, to a cultur ...

upon the ingenuity of ''Sylvia'', calling it "... the first ballet, where the music constitutes not only the main, but the only interest. What charm, what elegance, what richness of melody, rhythm, harmony." While this statement may be a little hyperbolic, it says something very important about the uniqueness of the ballet. ''Sylvia''s score is varied and rich, and it stands out, drawing the focus from the sets, the dancers, the costumes. Instead of receding into the background, setting only the mood, Delibes' score sets the action. The music of ''Sylvia'' was also notable for its new, more developed use of

leitmotif A leitmotif or () is a "short, recurring musical phrase" associated with a particular person, place, or idea. It is closely related to the musical concepts of ''idée fixe'' or ''motto-theme''. The spelling ''leitmotif'' is a partial angliciz ...

s. Such a stylistic choice is characteristic of Delibes, who was a great admirer of

Wagner Wilhelm Richard Wagner ( ; ; 22 May 181313 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, essayist, and conductor who is chiefly known for his operas (or, as some of his mature works were later known, "music dramas"). Unlike most o ...

. Indeed, echoes of Wagner's influence are quite obvious in the music such as its "symphonic" nature, as described by Ivor Forbes Guest in the 1954 edition of '' The Ballet Annual''. Another interesting choice of Delibes was his pronounced use of brass and wind instruments, especially in the characteristically powerful '' prelude''. Delibes was also one of the first composers to write for the

alto saxophone The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgians, Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in the key of E♭ ( ...

, an instrument used extensively in the heavier

wind Wind is the natural movement of atmosphere of Earth, air or other gases relative to a planetary surface, planet's surface. Winds occur on a range of scales, from thunderstorm flows lasting tens of minutes, to local breezes generated by heatin ...

sections such as the

barcarolle A barcarolle ( ; from French, also barcarole; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from 'boat') is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style. In classical music, two of the most fa ...

in Act III. The prelude to the first act and the ''pizzicati'' in the third are the significantly more famous sections of this already notable score. The latter, the more famous, is a well-known example of

pizzicato Pizzicato (, ; translated as 'pinched', and sometimes roughly as 'plucked') is a playing technique that involves plucking the strings of a string instrument. The exact technique varies somewhat depending on the type of instrument: * On bowe ...

style. This section is, according to ''

The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians ''The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians'' is an encyclopedic dictionary of music and musicians. Along with the German-language '' Die Musik in Geschichte und Gegenwart'', it is one of the largest reference works on the history and t ...

'', "traditionally played in a halting, hesitant style that appears to have been no part of Delibes's conception." Tchaikovsky's ''Swan Lake'' was written just before ''Sylvia'' was released and is generally considered one of the best ballets of the era. However, Tchaikovsky himself preferred ''Sylvia'' to his own work, calling his own masterpiece "poor stuff in comparison". Tchaikovsky said to Taneyev, "I was ashamed. If I had known this music early then, of course, I would not have written ''Swan Lake''".

Choreography

Louis Mérante's choreography for ''Sylvia'' was praised by contemporary critics, but it did not survive the ballet's initial run at the Paris Opera. Sir Frederick Ashton created quite contemporary choreography for his 1952 production at the Royal Opera House, while retaining a classic feel, it has been modernized. In the 1952 choreography, ''Sylvia'' incorporated new and interesting techniques such as the blending of mime and dance and more intricate footwork, as are typical of Ashton's works. As writer Arnold Haskell said, "he accepts the challenge in Sylvia of coping with period music without descending to pastiche; and never once does the movement he provides strike us as modern or as 'old world'". Gillian Murphy, the lead rôle in the 2005 ABT production, noted this choreography was very challenging. Ashton designed the ballet specifically around Fonteyn's talent and skill. Thus, any who play the part must be able to do everything she could, and at the time "the range of her dancing asunequalled"(Barnes). It is notable that this choreography features a few difficult ''

pas de deux In ballet, a ( French, literally "step of two") is a dance duet in which two dancers, typically a male and a female, perform ballet steps together. The ''pas de deux'' is characteristic of classical ballet and can be found in many well-known ...

'', including a spectacular one in the third act, which constitutes the climax of the ballet.

Characters

Lead roles

* Sylvia – A chaste huntress nymph, loyal to Diana, object of Aminta's desire. * Aminta – A simple shepherd boy who is in love with Sylvia. Parallels can be drawn to Endymion, another shepherd who was Diana's young love. *

Eros Eros (, ; ) is the Greek god of love and sex. The Romans referred to him as Cupid or Amor. In the earliest account, he is a primordial god, while in later accounts he is the child of Aphrodite. He is usually presented as a handsome young ma ...

– The

Greek Greek may refer to: Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor of all kno ...

god of love, focal in the ballet as an object of great worship and scorn. * Diana – The

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of Roman civilization *Epistle to the Romans, shortened to Romans, a letter w ...

goddess of the hunt and chastity. It is at Diana's temple that the bacchanal in the third act takes place. * Orion – An evil hunter who stalks Sylvia and kidnaps her. Source:

Minor roles

* Hunt attendants—Sylvia's posse of female hunters. * Goats – Two goats that are about to be sacrificed as a tribute to

Bacchus In ancient Greek religion and 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 ; ) by the Gre ...

, but are saved by the commotion caused by Orion. *

Naiads In Greek mythology, the naiads (; ), sometimes also hydriads, are a type of female spirit, or nymph, presiding over fountains, wells, springs, streams, brooks and other bodies of fresh water. They are distinct from river gods, who embodied ...

Dryads A dryad (; , sing. ) is an oak tree nymph or oak tree spirit in Greek mythology; ''Drys'' (δρῦς) means "tree", and more specifically " oak" in Greek. Today the term is often used to refer to tree nymphs in general. Types Daphnaie Thes ...

* Fauns * Peasants Source:

Libretto

Frederick Ashton recognised the weakness of the libretto, and reworked the ballet to help make the story more interesting. Mark Morris simplified the story for his 2004 production for the same reasons. He called it, "a big wonderful mishmash of mythology and history", so he changed it to make it more "clear and beautiful".

Act I: A Sacred Wood

The ballet begins with a scene of worship as creatures of the forest dance before

. Aminta, a lowly shepherd, stumbles in on them, disrupting their ritual. Now Sylvia, the object of Aminta's desire, arrives on the scene with her posse of hunters to mock the god of love. Aminta attempts to conceal himself, but Sylvia eventually discovers her stalker and, inflamed, turns her bow towards Eros. Aminta protects the deity and is himself wounded. Eros in turn shoots Sylvia. She is hit, and though not badly wounded, the injury is enough to drive her offstage. A hunter, Orion, is revealed to also have been watching Sylvia, when he is seen celebrating the unconscious Aminta. Orion conceals himself again as Sylvia returns; this time she is sympathetic towards Aminta. As the huntress laments over her victim, she is kidnapped by Orion and carried off. Peasants grieve over Aminta's figure until a cloaked Eros revives the shepherd. Eros reveals his true identity and informs Aminta of Orion's actions.

Act II: Orion's Island Cave

Captive in Orion's island hideout, Sylvia is tempted by him with jewels and wine to no avail. Sylvia now grieves over Aminta, cherishing the arrow pulled from her breast nostalgically. When Orion steals it from her, Sylvia gets her captor drunk until he is unconscious, whereby she retrieves her arrow and appeals to Eros for help. Sylvia's invocations are not in vain, for Eros quickly arrives and shows his summoner a vision of Aminta waiting for her. The duo depart for the temple of Diana, where Sylvia's love awaits.

Act III: The Sea Coast near the Temple of Diana

Aminta arrives at the temple of Diana to find a bacchanal but no Sylvia, who will soon arrive with Eros. After a few moments of mirth at the reunion, Orion shows up, seeking Sylvia. He and Aminta fight; Sylvia barricades herself in Diana's shrine and Orion attempts to follow. The goddess of the hunt, outraged at this act, smites Orion and denies Aminta and Sylvia congress. Compassionate Eros gives Diana a vision. The goddess reminisces over her own young love of Endymion, also a shepherd. Diana has a change of heart and repeals her decree. Aminta and Sylvia come together under the deities' good will.

Résumé of dances and scenes

Taken from the original 1876 theatrical program of the Paris Opéra. Act I *No. 01 ''Prélude'' *No. 02 ''Scène du bois sacré d'Éros'' *No. 03 ''Le Berger–Entrée d'Aminta'' *No. 04 ''Pas des chasseresses''— ::—a. ''Entrée'' ::—b. ''Valse lente'' *No. 05 ''Scène'' *No. 06 ''Cortège rustique'' *No. 07 ''Scène'' *No. 08 — ::—a. ''Entrée du sorcier'' ::—b. ''Finale'' Act II *No. 09 ''Entr'acte'' *No. 10 ''La grotte d'Orion'' *No. 11 ''Danse des Éthiopiens'' *No. 12 ''Chant bacchique'' *No. 13 ''Scène et danse de la Bacchante'' *No. 14 ''Scène finale'' Act III *No. 15 ''Grand cortège de Bacchus'' *No. 16 ''Scène'' *No. 17 ''Danse barcarolle'' Sylviascore

*No. 18 ''Divertissement''— ::—a. ''Pizzicato'' – ''Variation de Mlle. Rita Sangalli'' ::—b. ''Andante'' ::—c. ''Pas des esclaves'' ::—d. ''Variation de Mons. Louis Mérante'' ::—e. ''Galop générale'' *No. 19 ''Finale–Le temple de Diane'' *No. 20 ''Apothéose–L'apparition d'Endymion''

List of productions

This list mentions only full-length or otherwise significant productions; however, there have been many performances of short excerpts, especially in London.

In popular culture

In the 1892 novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith ''

The Diary of a Nobody ''The Diary of a Nobody'' is an 1892 English comic novel written by the brothers George and Weedon Grossmith, with illustrations by the latter. It originated as an intermittent serial in '' Punch'' magazine in 1888–89 and first appeared in ...

'', Carrie Pooter practises the Sylvia Gavotte on the Pooters' new cottage piano, 'bought on the three years system, manufactured by W. Bilkson (in small letters) from Collard and Collard (in very large letters)'. In the 1931

Marx Brothers The Marx Brothers were an American family comedy act known for their anarchic humor, rapid-fire wordplay, and visual gags. They achieved success in vaudeville, on Broadway, and in 14 motion pictures. The core group consisted of brothers Chi ...

film '' Monkey Business'',

Chico Marx Leonard Joseph "Chico" Marx ( ; March 22, 1887October 11, 1961) was an American comedian, actor, and pianist. He was the oldest brother in the Marx Brothers comedy troupe, alongside his brothers Harpo Marx, Arthur ("Harpo"), Groucho Marx, Juliu ...

plays the pizzicato on the piano, racing against the orchestra, and says, "Hah, I beat you that time!" The theme song from the 1982 television series '' Knight Rider'' is based on "Cortège de Bacchus" from the third act.The series DVD bonus material contains an interview about this lead music, where Glen A. Larson says he remembers a theme out of a classical piece ("Marche Et Cortège De Bacchus" Act III – No. 14 from Sylvia written by French composer

) from which he took pieces for the "Knight Rider Theme". In one episode of ''

The Muppet Show ''The Muppet Show'' is a variety sketch comedy television series created by Jim Henson and starring the Muppets. It is presented as a variety show, featuring recurring sketches and musical numbers interspersed with ongoing plot-lines with ru ...

'', the pizzicato is played in one sketch that features characters with balloons for heads, including the conductor, who leads the balloon-headed orchestra into popping their heads in time. The sketch ends with the conductor popping his own balloon head. In the 1995 movie '' Babe'', the pizzicato strings create a supported tension as Babe and Ferdinand the Duck sneak into the Hoggett house to steal an alarm clock, aka "The Mechanical Rooster."

References

Sources

* *