Author Description
Tchaikovsky's Ballets combines a detailed and thorough analysis of the music of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and Nutcracker with descriptions of the first productions of these works in Imperial Russia. A background chapter on the ballet audience, the collaboration of composer and balletmaster, and Moscow of the 1860's leads into an account of the first production of Swan Lake in 1877. A discussion of theater reforms initiated by the Director of the Imperial Theaters prepares the reader for a study of the still-famous 1890 St. Petersburg production of Sleeping Beauty. Wiley then explains how the Nutcracker, produced just two years after Sleeping Beauty, was seen in a much less favorable light than it is now. Separate chapters are devoted to the music of each ballet and translations of published libretti, choreographer's instructions to the composer, and the balletmaster's plans for Sleeping Beauty and the Nutcracker are reproduced in appendices.
Menrva's Summary
THE THESIS
This text investigates the historical context, musical composition, and original production circumstances of Tchaikovsky's three major ballets. Roland John Wiley, a scholar of Russian music and dance, synthesizes archival research and primary source documents to explain how the collaborative relationship between the composer and Imperial Russian balletmasters shaped these iconic works. The book provides a framework for understanding the evolution of ballet production in the late 19th century.
THE SCOPE MAP
What You Will Find
- Detailed musical analysis of Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker
- Historical accounts of the first Imperial Russian productions
- Translations of original libretti and choreographer instructions
- Contextual chapters on 1860s Moscow and Imperial Theater reforms
Scope Limits
- Does not cover Tchaikovsky's symphonic or operatic works
- Does not analyze modern interpretations or 20th-century choreography
THE AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE
Experts recognize this work as a foundational text for musicologists and dance historians due to its rigorous use of primary source material. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which provides a comprehensive look at the intersection of music and theater history.
Page Count:
448
Publication Date:
1985-03-07
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
ISBN-10:
0193153149
ISBN-13:
9780193153141
Music
Musicology
Ballets_scores
Russian History
Ballet