Little Shao / OnP

Ballet

La Bayadère

Rudolf Noureev

Opéra Bastille

from 11 December 2020 to 02 January 2021

2h50 with 2 intervals

La Bayadère

Opéra Bastille - from 11 December 2020 to 02 January 2021

Synopsis

The final work of a life utterly devoted to dance, La Bayadere by Rudolf Nureyev has become one of the jewels of the Paris Opera Ballet’s repertoire. First performed in 1992, La Bayadère recounts the ill-fated loves of the dancer Nikiya and the noble warrior Solor, promised to the redoubtable Gamzatti, in an imaginary India complete with elephants, tigers and palanquins. Rudolf Nureyev adapted the choreography by Marius Petipa – to music by Ludwig Minkus – restructuring it to include virtuosi variations and large-scale ensemble movements. The celebrated Royaume des Ombres (Kingdom of Shadows) in Act III is considered to be one of the summits of choreographic art.
Unfailingly popular at the Paris Opera, the spectacular richness of Ezio Frigerio’s decors and costumes by Franca Squarciapino make La Bayadere a flamboyant spectacle.

Duration : 2h50 with 2 intervals

  • Opening

  • First part 50 min

  • Intermission 20 min

  • Second part 40 min

  • Intermission 20 min

  • Third part 40 min

  • End

Show acts and characters

CHARACTERS

Solor: A noble and valiant warrior from the Indian kingdom of Golconda. He is in love with Nikiya.
Nikiya: Temple dancer and guardian of the Temple’s sacred fire. She is in love with Solor.
The High Brahmin: High priest of the temple. He is secretly in love with Nikiya.
The Rajah of Golconda: Monarch of the kingdom, father of Gamzatti. He wants her to marry Solor.
Gamzatti: The daughter of the Rajah of Golconda and Solor’s fiancée.
The Kshatriyas: Friends of Solor and members of the caste holding temporal power.
The Slave: Dances with Nikiya at the betrothal of Gamzatti and Solor.
Aiya: Gamzatti’s servant.
The Golden Idol: Incarnation evoking the god Shiva, holding the position of the lotus flower.
The Shades: The ghosts of dead bayadères.

ACT I

First scene: in front of the temple
The noble warrior Solor, eager to offer the Rajah a tiger’s hide, sends his friends out hunting whilst he stays near the temple in the hope of secretly meeting his sweetheart the bayadère Nikiya, one of the temple dancers guarding the sacred flame. The Grand Brahmin confesses his love to Nikiya. Shocked by the declaration, the bayadère reminds him that he is a priest and a high-ranking dignitary while she is merely a temple dancer. She rejects him. The Dance of the daggers. The fakir and the Hindus mortify themselves. When Nikiya serves a drink to the fakir she learns that Solor is nearby and that once the ceremony is over he will come to find her. Solor swears over the sacred flame that he will always love Nikiya. The Grand Brahmin stumbles upon them and is consumed with jealousy. The fakir alerts Nikiya and Solor to the presence of the priest. They go their separate ways. The Grand Brahmin vows revenge.

Second scene: inside the Rajah’s palace
The Rajah of Golconda throws a party in honour of his daughter Gamzatti, who will soon be married to Solor. He invites the Kshatriyas, friends of Solor. The Djampo Dance (with veils attached to the ankles of the dancers). The Rajah summons his daughter Gamzatti and introduces her to Solor, whom he wants her to marry. Solor, wanting to remain true to his oath to Nikiya, would like to refuse but he must obey the Rajah, who has invited the temple dancer Nikiya to perform to bless the betrothal. The Adagio of Nikiya with the slave (musical interpolation by Cesare Pugni). Troubled and embarrassed, Solor hides so as not to be seen by the temple dancer. The Grand Brahmin comes to inform the Rajah of the romantic relationship between Solor and the temple dancer Nikiya. Furious at seeing his plans thwarted, the Rajah decides to rid himself of the bayadère. The Grand Brahmin, who was hoping to undermine Solor, had failed to anticipate the disaster that would befall Nikiya. Gamzatti, overhearing the conversation, summons Nikiya in order to show her the portrait of her future husband. Nikiya realises with horror that it is Solor but refuses to believe that he has betrayed her. The two rivals quarrel. Gamzatti goes so far as to offer jewels to Nikiya if she will renounce Solor. Nikiya rushes at Gamzatti with a dagger but the servant Aiya holds her back. Gamzatti considers getting rid of the insolent bayadère.

ACT II

The betrothal of Gamzatti and Solor

The Rajah has invited his people to celebrate his daughter’s engagement. A series of dances follow.

The Wedding Procession.
The Fan Dance.
The Parrot Dance.
The Children Entrance.
The Golden Idol Variation.
The Manou Dance (a young girl with a jug balanced on her head).
The Indian Dance.

During the festivities, Nikiya has to dance before the guests. Aiya, Gamzatti’s servant, presents the bayadère with a basket of flowers. It conceals a snake which fatally bites Nikiya. The Grand Brahmin offers Nikiya an antidote to the poison if she surrenders herself to him. Seeing Gamzatti holding back Solor, Nikiya lets herself die after calling on the gods to curse those responsible for her demise.

ACT III

First scene: Solor’s room
In despair at Nikiya’s death, Solor takes refuge in opium-fuelled dreams. Solor’s Variation*. Dance of the Hindus*: Solor enters the realm of dreams.

Second scene: the Shades
In a long hypnotic procession, the Shades, ghosts of dead bayadères, appear before Solor: among them, he sees Nikiya who forgiveshim. And in the dream they are reunited again.

Artists

in three acts

Creative team

Cast

Les Étoiles, les Premiers Danseurs, le Corps de Ballet avec les élèves de l'École de Danse.
Orchestre de l’Opéra national de Paris

Media

  • La Bayadère by Rudolf Noureev (Valentine Colasante)
  • La Bayadère by Rudolf Noureev - Les Ombres

Access and services

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €25 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €40 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €25 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €40 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

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