The Age of PetipaPart 1: Marius Petipa

Marius Petipa

March 11, 1818 – July 14, 1910

• Known as “the father of classical ballet”• Born in Marseilles, France• Moved to St. Petersburg, Russia in 1847• Choreographed more than 60 ballets

Family history

• Jean Antoine Petipa (father) was a famous French dancer and teacher.

• Lucien Petipa (older brother) was a world famous dancer.

• At 7yrs old Jean began teaching Marius ballet.• Marius HATED it! (But he was talented.)

Dance Scene of the 19th Century

• French was the international language• Famous dancers of the day: Marie Taglioni,

Fanny Elssler, Carlotta Grisi, Lucile Grahn, Fanny Cerrito

• Famed ballet masters: Jules Perrot, Filippo Taglioni, Arthur Saint Leon

• Famed teachers: Carlo Blasis, Enrico Cecchetti, Auguste Vestris

Marie Taglioni

Fanny Elssler

Pas de Quatre

Getting back to Marius…

• General education from Grande College in Brussels• Made performance debut in 1831 in father’s

production of La Dansomanie• Belgian revolution made family move to Bordeaux

then Nantes, where Petipa became a principal.• After touring North America, returned to Bordeaux

to continue dancing and begin experimenting with choreography.

• Partnered Carlotta Grisi in La Peri.

Travels abroad

• Moved to Madrid, Spain • had a love affair with wife of Marquis de

Chateaubriand (member of French Embassy)• Challenged to a duel by Chateaubriand…• Promptly left Spain and never returned• 1847 moved to St Petersburg, Russia

Russian Connection

• End of 17th century, Peter the Great evolves arts in Russia by inviting artists from other countries.

• 1738 Empress Anna begins the Imperial Ballet School.

• Most of the great European dancers performed in Russia.

• Taglioni’s partner, Christian Johanson, stayed as teacher and choreographer.

Petipa In Russia

• Continued dancing, staging works and dabbling in choreography

• 1854 marries ballerina Maria Sergeyevna Surovshchikova

• 1858 retires form dancing, focuses energy on choreography

• Created A Regency Marriage, The Parisian Market, & The Blue Dhalia for wife.

Politics of dance

• 1862 La Fille du Pharaon • Appointed company ballet master• 1869 replaces Saint-Leon as director of

Maryinsky• Established “ballet a grand spectacle”• 1882 married ballerina Lubova Leonidovna• Retired 1903 after The Magic Mirror failed

Petipa’s impact on ballet

• Established Classical over Romantic by focusing on technical virtuosity rather than pantomime or dramatic expression

• Emphasized central role of the female ballerina and bravura steps of the male danseur

• Used elaborate stage designs and large casts• Created choreographic formula still used

today

Petipa ballets

• Don Quixote• La Bayadere• Bluebeard• Cinderella• Raymonda• Harliquinade• Le Corsair

Tchaikovsky ballets

• Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky composed:• Swan Lake• Sleeping Beauty• The Nutcracker

Sleeping Beauty 1890

The Nutcracker 1892

The Nutcracker (Sugarplum pas de deux)

Swan Lake 1895

Lev Ivanov

• February 1834- July 1901• Incredibly musical• 1852 joined Imperial Ballet under Jules Perrot• 1885 appointed assistant to Petipa at

Maryinksy Theater• In shadow of others throughout career

Ivanov’s choreographic contribution

• Tendency towards Romantic over Classical • Petipa took full credit despite Ivanov’s

contribuions• Believed to have choreographed :– Sleeping Beauty romantic vision scene– Swan Lake Act 2– The Nutcracker (Petipa was sick, had to give credit)

Changes and endings

• Early 1900s fashions and audience interests began shift away from Petipa’s Classical style

• 1903 Petipa creates The Magic Mirror under pressure to change… flopped miserably

• 1903 retired • 1906 Petipa’s memoirs are published; met with

criticism and attacks• 1907 moves to southern Russia because of bad health• 1910 dies