Four ballets on the Romanov dynasty at La Scala
Reflection of Russian history in theatrical art. Staging of ballets and operas at the La Scala Theater that based on real events from the life of members of the Romanov royal dynasty. Features of the set design and costumes of the choreodrama "Streltsy".
| Рубрика | Культура и искусство |
| Вид | статья |
| Язык | английский |
| Дата добавления | 19.03.2024 |
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Four ballets on the Romanov dynasty at La Scala
Bonelli Valentina
Abstract
Over thirty years, in the first half of the Nineteen century, four ballets with the Russian dynasty of Romanov as subject were presented at Regio Teatro alla Scala (La Scala Royal Theatre). An interesting coincidence, considering how far from Italian events was then the Russian Empire.
At that time Milano as a capital was disputed between the Habsburg Empire and Napoleon and La Scala, inaugurated in 1778, was their official theatre.
A performance always consisted in one opera (in Italian „melodramma“) and one „ballo grande“ (big ballet) or two or three, until four little ballets. The long ballet usually had a serious subject, while the short ones were farces, in the program as „lever du rideau“, or intermezzo, or final. Neoclassical as style and aesthetic, ballets had subjects mainly mythological but also historical, introducing politics at La Scala before than opera did with Verdi.
Every ballet lasted only one season, no longer reprogrammed, so that the maitres de ballet, then called „composers of ballets" („compositori di balli“) competed for the audience favour.
The ballet troupe was composed by about fifty dancers lead by Primi ballerini francesi (French Principal dancers) and Primi ballerini italiani (Italian Principal dancers): a distinction not based on their nationality but meaning that the ones used to dance in divertissements, while the others were employed in pantomime roles.
Аннотация
Четыре балета о династии Романовых на сцене «Ла Скала»
Бонелли Валентина
В первой половине XIX века, на протяжении тридцати лет, в театре «Ла Скала» состоялись премьеры четырех балетов, где главными действующими лицами были члены русской царской династии Романовых. Начавшись с хореодрамы «Стрельцы» (1811) знаменитого «композитора балетов» Сальваторе Вигано, эта череда продолжилась «Елизаветой Федоровной» Джованни Гальцерани (1819), «Романовыми» Сальваторе Тальони (1837), «Екатериной II» Антонио Монтичини (1838).
Все балетмейстеры основывали свои драмы на действительных событиях русской истории, кто-то с большей, кто-то с меньшей фантазией. А действующими лицами были реальные исторические персонажи. Это были большие постановки, богатые сценографией и костюмами, с оркестром, в них принимали участие около сорока танцовщиков кордебалета, фехтовальщики, дети, сотня статистов. Эти балеты были оценены публикой, но редко рецензировались прессой, так как главное внимание критиков привлекали оперы. В любом случае это был короткий сезон, поскольку эпоха романтизма была не за горами.
The Streltsy
This was the state when Salvatore Vigano debuted at La Scala, soon becoming the name at the centre of audience's interest and cultural disputes, admired even by Stendhal. Born in Naples, the son of Onorato, a dancer and a choreographer, and Maria Ester Boccherini, a dancer as well, Vigano studied ballet with his father and learned music composition with her maternal uncle, Luigi Boccherini, the great composer. When he arrived in Milan, he was already established as the inventor of the „coreodramma“, after having worked in Spain, Venice and Vienna. At La Scala he introduced himself with ballo Gli Strelitzi (The Streltsy), already presented in Venice at La Fenice Theatre in 1808 In Venice Gli Strelizzi (with a different spelling compared to Gli Strelitzi in Milan), presented together with an opera, premiered on 19 December 1808 as the opening of the new season, at the time a part of the Carnival celebrations.. In Milan the ballet, or more precisely the „azione eroico-mimica“ (heroic-mimic action) in 6 acts, debuted on 26 December 1811 as the opening of the new season and had more than 50 performances.
'The Streltsy ', scene from the 4th act at La Scala. Courtesy: Archivio del Museo Teatrale alla Scala and Biblioteca Livia Simoni
Presented together with an opera, The Streltsy was the first ballo in the program, followed by another short ballo by Vigano.
The reviews were rare at that time, because there were still no dedicated magazines or because some ballets were evidently not considered worthy of, but the librettos are still available and interesting because written by the choreographers themselves and with the dances quoted. All the choreographers based their dramas on real events and historical figures, someone with more, some other with less fantasy. The Russian readers knowing their own history will be able to distinguish truth from fiction.
history theater romanov royal ballet
'The Streltsy ', Costumes. Courtesy: Archivio del Museo Teatrale alla Scala and Biblioteca Livia Simoni
The synopsis of The Streltsy is known in details because the libretto (as Gli Strelizzi) is still preserved in La Fenice's Archive.
The set of The Streltsy is Moscow. In the first act, in the Royal Palace's courtyard, princess regent Sofia, from the top of the staircase, receives homage from the Streltsy leaders, determined to make her tsarevna. Cannon shots announce the arrival of the Emperor, Piotr the Great, preceded by his army. Between acclamations, he praises the German troop that, when he was absent, took prisoners the rebel Streltsy from Ukraine. Disdained revenge, Piotr only wants to celebrate and invites the nobility to a sumptuous party while the soldierly performs a joyful dance. In the second act Sofia is sad and worried while entering the palace hall. She is joined by Alexei Shukanin, the captain of the Streltsy guard and by his daughter Elisaveta, the Tsar's mistress. Piotr arrives and decorates Elisaveta with St. Andrew's medal while Sofia and Shukanin try to dissimulate their hate towards the Tsar. When also minister Le Fort joins the group, the curtain raises and the Russian nobility, wearing national costumes, appears, toasting and dancing. Dressed with foreign costumes, the Tsar and his mistress dance a pas de deux, blamed by the conservatives who don't like Piotr's innovations. Meanwhile, a paper lost by Sofia and found by Le Fort with a list of conspirators, makes suspicious Piotr. In the third act, set in Shukanin's apartments, he tries to force his daughter to kill the Tsar offering her a dagger, but she refuses and begs her father to dismiss his aim. When Piotr suddenly enters, Shukhanin shoots him but Elisaveta deflects the gunshot. Rushed Le Fort with his officers, they found Elisaveta with the gun in her hand, so that, judged guilty, Piotr orders to take her in prison. In the fourth act, set in jail, Piotr queries Elisaveta, who claims her innocence. Revealing the Streltsy's conspiracy, she obtains from the Tsar that he signs a paper asking for a grace. In the fifth act, Piotr, disguised, infiltrates the secret meeting of the Streltsy in the dark dungeons of the palace. When a leader of the Streltsy accepts from Shukanin the dagger to stab Piotr, the Tsar reveals himself and kills the rebel. Terrified, the Streltsy let the Tsar go and throw themselves into the riots broke out in Moscow. In the last act, set in the public square, people, soldiers and the Streltsy gather. The Tsar and his loyals win over the rebels. While Piotr is going to kill Shukanin, Elisaveta arrives showing the signed paper and claiming the grace for her father. Piotr agrees, saves Shukanin life but banishes him and Elisaveta from Russia, sends his accomplices in Siberia and Sofia in a convent. With this tableau the action ends.
The composer is not quoted because at that time the ballet score was frequently a mix of musics, while the scenes were by scenographer Alessandro Sanquirico, one of the best exponents of Milanese school in theatrical painting. Regarding the performers, at La Fenice the Tsar was performed by Salvatore Vigano and Elizaveta by prima ballerina Amalia Muzzarelli Cesari, while at La Scala the title role was taken by Jean Coralli (Giovanni, as he was Italian) and the female part by his wife Teresa Coralli.
Judged a good („buono“) success in a theatre bulletin of La Scala, no review was found from the Milanese debut, but one from the premiere in Venice1. The new ballo deserved only a short presentation as well as a short review. The newspaper reports the details of the great production, rich in scenography and costumes, with a selected orchestra, 40 corps de ballet dancers, 12 fencers, 12 children, 100 extras. The rehearsals were very long, day and night until a few hours before the show. But little else was to report, according the reviewer. After the very promising first act, with a great parade of nations in uniforms, the surprise expired and the final punishment of the innocent Elisaveta disappointed the audience. Among the performers only Amalia Muzzarelli Cesari deserved a few lines, praised for her beauty and the delightful sensation left after her solo, enthusiastically acclaimed.
The Streltsy could be considered as an example of a typical „coreodramma“ by Vigano: the coordinator of every aspect of the ballet, not only a ballet composer, but the author of the libretto and the music, someone who today we would call „director". His neoclassic subjects were pervaded by a romantic omen, large masses were on stage, his pantomime was fully danced, at the centre the „passo d'azione" (pas d'action) where dance was strictly linked to action.
But as Stendhal himself prophesied, like every Vigano's coreodramma also The Streltsy soon disappeared from the stage: still missing a dance notation system, no one could properly restage his masterpieces, appearing lifeless without his creator.
Elisaveta Fiodorovna
Eight years later a demi-caractere (mezzo carattere) ballo with the Russian dynasty as subject appeared at La Scala: Elisaveta Fiodorovna (Elisabetta Fedorowna). After the debut on 5th August 1819, when it was presented together with an opera and another ballo, it was performed 32 times.
We don't know much about this short ballo: no review or the theatre bulletin reporting if it had success or not was found. On an assembled score, with scenes by Alessandro Sanquirico, this ballo was created by Giovanni Galzerani, a prolific and longevous ballets composer („compositore di balli“), with an algid neoclassic taste, who used to work on historical themes and with large masses.
Unlike The Streltsy, Elisaveta Fiodorovna was only vaguely inspired by real facts and historical members of the Romanov family.
Set in the snowy mountains around Moscow (sic!), in the first act the stepbrothers Alexei, son of the first wife of Tsar Ivan, and Dmitri, son of his second wife Evdosia, are hunting a bear. Evdosia, on the sleds with her ladies in waiting, attends the hunt, together with her favorite Biren. The Tsarevna is conspiring to 1 Teatri // Quotidiano Veneto (Newspaper of Veneto Region). 20 December 1808. P. 703; December 1808. P 716; 29 December 1808. P 719. eliminate Alexei, the heir to the throne, in favour of his son Dmitri. She suspects that Alexei's secret wife Elisaveta, mother of his two sons, is the daughter of the outlaw Fiodor. Elisaveta with her two children appears and Alexei can't hide his affection and care. In the second act, when a storm breaks out, Tsar Ivan is rescued by Igor, a highlander who hosts him with his cortege at his home, where Elisaveta and the children are also repairing. When the Tsar leaves, Biren arrives and kidnaps Elisaveta and her sons. Alexei couldn't avoid the kidnapping, but his brother Dmitri is at his side and promises to help him. In the third act, set at the Kremlin, Evdosia reveals the Tsar that Alexei is secretly married with the daughter of the outlaw Fiodor. Indignant, the Tsar orders to jail Alexei and Elisaveta, who in tears confesses her identity when the Tsarevna shows her a portrait of her father Fiodor. Moved by the generous Dmitri who reveals his mother's intrigue, the Tsar asks Igor, recognized as his benefactor, who Elisaveta is. «She is my daughter» answers the good highlander; «You are not an outlaw, so Elisaveta could marry my son» states the Tsar. Merry dances close the ballet.
The Romanov
In 1837, on 17 January, La Scala presented The Romanov (I Romanow) a historical ballet (ballo storico) in six acts, restaged in 1840, on 25 January, that had nearly one hundred performances. The author was Salvatore Taglioni, Filippo's older brother, a choreographer still tied to the past: his many ballets had alternated fortune and he died in poverty.
'The Romanov ', Krakow costume. Courtesy: Archivio del Museo Teatrale alla Scala and Biblioteca Livia Simoni
The libretto is quite faithful to the history of the election as tsar of Mikhail Romanov, not at all to the episode and the year of his wedding with Evdosia.
The first act is set at the Kremlin, where the Tartar prince Mangely who had taken the power, is going to capitulate in front of general Sheremetev, Mikhail Romanov and his officer Dmitri. Before leaving, the Tartar asks the noble Stretsnev to marry his daughter Evdosia, which he loves, but they both refused with disdain. While Mangely, furious, leaves the Kremlin with his troops and the released women arrives, Romanov and Evdosia, in love, are happy to reunite. In the meantime, the Boyars who regained the Kremlin, chose Romanov as their tsar. In the second act, Stretsnev and his daughter return to their palace in the mountains, escorted by Romanov.
But when he leaves, Mangely and his followers break into the castle after having set fire. While Stretsnev duels with Mangely, a Tartar kidnaps Evdosia but during the escape on horseback they both fall into the river. In the third act, Stretsnev runs to Romanov's palace to ask for help in finding Evdosia. Just then Sheremetev and the Boyars arrive, offering Romanov the tsar's insignia. Romanov and his mother Arsenia, Sheremetev's sister, at first refuse, considering he is yet not ready to the great commitment, but then they accept. Ordered his guards to escort Stretsnev in searching his daughter, the tsar to be leaves for the Kremlin.
The fourth act is set in a country house, where the rich farmers Teodora and Ivan, Dmitri's parents, receive with honours their son. Suddenly they hear a woman screaming in the waves: she is Evdosia, who, escaped from drowning, arrives at the farmhouse and is cared by the family. In search of Evdosia, also Mangely's troops arrive: at first, they don't recognize her, so dressed as a peasant, but when the Tartar prince meets her, he does, and orders the kidnapping. While the kidnappers flee chased by Stretsnev, Dmitri duels with Mangely and wins him. In the fifth act, set in the big square in Moscow, the great cortege with the new tsar is welcomed by people and army. The celebrations continue in the palace, when Dmitri leads Mangely as prisoner. In the sixth act, set in the royal apartments, Arsenia and the Tsar meet, both anguish for Evdosia fate, when Stretsnev arrives taking his daughter safe. The magnanimous Tsar doesn't take revenge on the Tartar, who swears fidelity to him. Surrounded by the royal court, the Tsar marries Evdosia and crowns her as tsarevna.
The reviews1 of this „gran ballo“ (big ballet), attest that although the subject was judged not involving and lucking in dramaturgy, the show appeared magnificent and spectacular as never since many years, thanks to the choreographer's skills and the profusion of means. On the biggest stage in Italy, he masterly arranged a huge number of dancers, mimes, extras, infantry and 24 horses, creating effects with troops movements, rich corteges and triumphal marches, fights and duels, even a fire in a castle. The merit was also of the scenographers (Baldassarre Cavallotti and Domenico Menozzi) who painted palaces and cliffs, and of the machinist who realized the fall from the horse in the river, so realistic that the ladies in the audience screamed. While the passo a due (pas de deux) didn't like, the Russian national dances were among the most appreciated features of this ballo. The costumes designers (Briani and son with Modini) were especially praised for the Russian and Tartar dresses, with their gaudy colours and rich finishes. The precision in the masses movements and the national dances were also appreciated, as well as the performers. In particular at the 1840 restaging, when the Neapolitan ballerina Fanny Cerrito, a diva of the Romantic era, danced an interpolated pas de trois with a male dancer and a female student (with whom she competed!) and performed, in a terre-a-terre style, a national dance from Lithuania during the celebration for the Romanov coronation. The reviewer of the magazine „Figaro“ calls „la Cerrito“ „a little idol“ (idoletto), „a poetic dancer" who danced this lively pas «with the wings at her feet, whirling, flying into the air with light movements, as well as able to dance as a terre-a-terre ballerina on her pointe shoes Opprandino A. Appendice teatrale. Teatri Italiani // Il Figaro. 21 January 1837. V. N. 6. P. 23; Notizie interne. Imp. Regio Teatro alla Scala. Romanow, ballo di Taglioni // Il Censore universale dei teatri. 1 February 1837. N. 9. P. 35. Romani Luigi. Appendice teatrale // Figaro. 29 January 1840. VIII. N. 9. P. 35.».
Such was the effect produced by the gran ballo that the crowed audience, enthusiast, applauded long and warmly and called Taglioni many times at the proscenium, not only at the premiere but also in the following performances and two seasons later as well.
Ekaterina II, Empress of Russia
In the meantime, on 26 December 1838, Antonio Monticini, another prolific and longeval, if not memorable, choreographer, staged Ekaterina II. Empress of Russia (Caterina II. Imperatrice delle Russie), a „historical action“ in seven parts that had 30 performances. As explained in the foreword that quotes books as sources, the synopsis is based on historical facts but the author took many artistic licences. The antecedent, apocryphal, is the story of Anna Petrovna, the daughter of Empress Elisaveta and Alexei Razumovsky, kidnapped as a child and taken to
Rome by Polish prince Radziwill, former Minister of her mother, with the aim of opposite her to Ekaterina the Great, one day, as the legitimate heiress. Years later, when count Alexei Orlov, Ekaterina's favorite in charge of looking for Anna, finds her, he falls in love with the young woman and marry her.
In the first act, set in Kiev, Anna, now named Olga, is waiting to leave for Petersburg together with other exiles. Orlov joins his wife, hopeful that Ekaterina will not punish Olga as he just won a battle in Prussia. Ekaterina's general Potiomkim, sent to meet Orlov, suspects he has a relationship with Olga, while Radziwill recognizes her as the child he brought to Rome. In the second act, at Ekaterina's study, the Empress is surrounded by her maids when Potiomkin arrives and tells her his suspect about Orlov and the orphan.
In the third act the square in Petersburg is decorated to welcome the triumphant Orlov. In the cortege, Ekaterina on horseback with Potemkin at her side is followed by the legions of the Empire. The Empress welcomes Orlov revealing him her love. In the fourth act, in Orlov's castle, Olga is joined by Potiomkin, who reveals her that also the Empress loves Orlov and she will take revenge on her. Arrived Ekaterina, she confirms her feelings: Olga faints but Radziwill, suddenly rushed with his followers, kidnaps her. In the fifth act, at barracks near Petersburg, Radziwill reveals Olga that he took her to Rome as a child and express his aim to assert her right to the throne.
Arrived Orlov, he is attacked by Cossacks, his enemies, but Olga protects him with her body. Confessing that they are married, Orlov promises to guide them to Petersburg against Ekaterina.
But the Empress breaks into the barracks and orders to arrest everybody. In the sixth act, in the judgment room, Ekaterina is uncertain if signing the death sentence for Orlov and his accomplices. At the end the Empress forgives Orlov but decides to confine Olga in a fortress.
The seventh act is set in the tower of a fortress along the river Neva, where Olga is prisoner and Orlov tried in vain to be locked with her. As the river, stormy, threatens the tower, Orlov with a rope rescues Olga, but their boat is overwhelmed by the waves and they died in the Neva.
Unfortunately, no one magazine of that time reviewed this ballet, except „Figaro" Appendice teatrale. Teatri Italiani // Figaro. 29 December 1838. VI. N. 104. P. 416.
Over a period of thirty years during the first half of the 19th century, four ballets which took the Russian Romanov dynasty as their subject were premiered at Regio Teatro alla Scala. Beginning with the 'coreo- dramma' The Streltsy (1811) by the renowned 'compositore di balli' Salvatore Vigano, the vague conti-nued with Giovanni Galzerani's Elisaveta Fiodorovna (1819), Salvatore Taglioni's The Romanov (1837), and Antonio Monticini's Ekaterina II (1838). All the choreographers based their dramas on real events and figures of Russian history, some with a greater degree of fantasy than others. They were grand pro-ductions, rich in terms of scenography and costumes, with a full orchestra and about 40 dancers of the corps de ballet, fencers, children, and a hundred extras. As the main focus was on operas, these ballets were appreciated by the audience but rarely reviewed by the press. In any case, the trend was short-lived, since the Romantic era was just around the corner.
Г Ключевые слова: театр «Ла Скала», хореодрама, большой балет, Романовы, Сальваторе Вигано, Петр Великий, Екатерина II, первые французские танцовщики, первые итальянские танцовщики, Фанни Черрито, «Стрельцы», pas de deux.
Г Keywords: La Scala Theater, choreodramma, grand ballet, The Romanovs, Salvatore Vigano, Peter the Great, Catherine the Great, the first French dancers, the first Italian dancers, Fanny Cerrito, Archers (Streltsy), pas de deux. but with only seven lines, and no flattering words. The reviewer only quotes as great artists the two famous mimes who performed the main roles of Ekaterina and Orlov: Antonietta Pallerini and Domenico Ronzani, not a word about Fanny Cerrito, who, as a „French dancer" danced in a divertissement. Reported as a ballet that didn't achieve the audience favour, it's not explained why: probably because the Romantic era already prevailed. In these years the ballets scheduled at La Scala were Esmeralda, La Sylphide, La Gitana, starring Fanny Cerrito or Maria Taglioni.
Thanks to: Archivio del Museo Teatrale alla Scala and Biblioteca Livia Simoni.
Bibliographical / References
1. Appendice teatrale. Teatri Italiani // Figaro. 29 December 1838. VI. N. 104. P. 416.
2. Notizie interne. Imp. Regio Teatro alla Scala. Romanow, ballo di Taglioni // Il Censore universale dei teatri. 1 February 1837. N. 9. P 35.
3. Opprandino A. Appendice teatrale. Teatri Italiani // Il Figaro. 21 January 1837. V. N. 6. P 23.
4. Romani Luigi. Appendice teatrale // Figaro. 29 January 1840. VIII. N. 9. P 35.
5. Teatri // Quotidiano Veneto (Newspaper of Veneto Region). 20 December 1808. P 703.
6. Teatri // Quotidiano Veneto (Newspaper of Veneto Region). 27 December 1808. P 716.
7. Teatri // Quotidiano Veneto (Newspaper of Veneto Region). 29 December 1808. P 719.
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