Raymonda Variations is danced by two principal dancers, a man and a woman, and ensemble of twelve women.[1] The ballet does not follow the plot of the 1898 Raymonda.[2]: 471 Balanchine explained, "The music itself, its grand and generous manner, its joy and playfulness, was for me more than enough to carry the plot of the dances."[2]: 471–472 He described the ballet,
When the curtain goes up, twelve girls stand posing in an elegant garden. They dance for us and then the principals, another girl then a boy, join them. Next, the girl and the boy are alone for an adagio. This is followed by a series of nine variations, or solos, by five of the girls and the two principals. The ballet concludes with a coda and a finale by all the dancers.[2]: 471
Background and production
The 1898 ballet Raymonda featured choreography by Marius Petipa and a score by Alexander Glazunov. In the ballet, the titular character is engaged to Jean de Brienne, a French knight. However, while Jean leaves to fight at the Crusades, Raymonda is abducted by emir Abderakhman, but was saved by Jean, who Raymonda soon marries.[3]
In his book Balanchine's Complete Stories of the Great Ballets, the choreographer wrote that he had enjoyed the score since he was a student, and whilst studying at the Imperial Ballet School, he performed the ballet at the Mariinsky Theatre, wearing the original costumes.[2]: 411 In 1946, he and Alexandra Danilova staged a production of Raymonda for Ballet Russe de Monte-Carlo.[3] In 1955, he used excerpts from the music of Raymonda for his ballet Pas de Dix.[3]
In fall 1961, Balanchine decided to make another ballet to musical excerpts from Raymonda, with Patricia Wilde and Jacques d'Amboise. This would become the last time Balanchine choreograph a ballet on Wilde, who by then was one of the most senior dancers at the New York City Ballet. Wilde had also danced in the 1946 Raymonda.[4] Balanchine began choreographing the ballet after the company's domestic tour that year, when Balanchine called Wilde to the studio, and choreograph a solo on her to music intended for a variation danced by Raymonda's companion Henriette. As Wilde did not know it was for a new ballet, she soon forgot about it. Weeks later, once rehearsals for the ballet officially started, Balanchine rechoreographed the solo.[4] Balanchine also chose five young women in the company to dance other solos.[4]
The costumes were designed by Karinska, and the original lighting was by David Hays.[5] The backdrop Horace Armistead designed for Tudor's Jardin aux lilas was reused.[6] The ballet originally used the working titleRaymonda, before premiering under the title Valse et Variations. It was renamed Raymonda Variations in 1963.[5]
Original cast
The principal dancers in the original cast were:[5]
The ballet premiered on December 7, 1961, at the City Center of Music and Drama.[6] At the premiere, d'Amboise's variations were omitted as he was injured. They were added back to the ballet a month later.[4]
Following the premiere, New York Times critic John Martin called the ballet a "an adorable confection, concocted of marzipan, diamonds, youth and nostalgia."[1]
