 Ivan Vsevolozhsky |
The Sleeping Beauty came into being as a result of Ivan Vsevolozhsky being appointed Director of the Imperial Theatres in Russia in September 1881. He had held the post for 18 years playing an active role in improving the quality of productions and was a great organiser, finding and matching collaborators who would enrich one another's work. He personally contributed to the libretti and original costume designs for a number of ballets including The Sleeping Beauty.
Significantly Vsevolozhsky abolished the post of resident ballet composer for the Imperial Theatres in 1886 when Leon Minkus retired, opening the way for commissioned scores from leading composers. One of his first tasks was to persuade Pyotr Tchaikovsky to write a major new ballet that would be a work of lasting value, like Giselle and Coppellia it must live, and stay in the repertory to enchant our grandchildren as it enchanted us.
The process of the ballet's creation is well documented. Marius Petipa was the French choreographer chosen to create the ballet to the libretto and music given to him by Vsevolozhsky and Tchaikovsky. Petipa regarded The Sleeping Beauty as an exceptional project and painstakingly lavished on it the wealth of his wide experience. "The creation and staging of a big ballet presents enourmous difficulties," he wrote. "In outlining the story one must think of all the individual roles, having completed the story and pantomimic part of the ballet, one must invent the appropriate dances, pas de deux and variations, and make them conform to the music. This becomes pleasant when one finds in the director such a well informed and gifted adviser as Vsevolozhsky, or when one collaborates with a composer of genius, like Tchaikovsky."
 Marius Petipa |
At the end of 1888 all three collaborators, Vsevolozhsky, Tchaikovsky and the choreographer, Marius Petipa, met to work out details of the ballet and in January 1889 Petipa gave his anticipated requirements to Tchaikovsky. By the end of May the music was completely sketched out, the orchestrations being finished two months later and, in July, Petipa drew up his choreographic plan. Inevitably some further alterations were made as the work was staged but it appears to have been a happy collaboration for the participants. The choreography of the new ballet was begun as the company re-assembled after their summer break in September 1889. The complete ballet was ready for performance within four months.
The premier of the ballet was on January 15, 1890, at the Mariinsky Theatre, St Petersburg, and was performed by the Milanese virtuoso Carlotta Brianza as Aurora, the Sleeping Princess, Marie Petipa as the Lilac Fairy, Pevel Gerdt as Prince Desire, and the great Enrico Cecchetti as both the evil fairy Carabosse and the Bluebird. The ballet had had its dress rehearsal on January 2 before the Tsar and the court, whose reception of the masterpiece was chilly; Tchaikovsky's diary records the event with mournful brevity. "Rehearsal of the ballet with Tsar present." "Very nice!!!" "His Majesty treated me very haughtily. God bless him."
Despite the imperial indifference, the ballet became popular with the public and enjoyed continuous performances in Russia. By November 1892 it had been presented 50 times, an occassion that was marked by the dancers presenting a crown to Tchaikovsky on stage of the Maryiinsky Theatre.
