Post by erik on Sept 10, 2022 23:13:54 GMT -5
Sergei Prokofiev's second important ballet score, after "Romeo ANd Juliet", finds its way into this week's Classical Works Spotlight.
Prokofiev: CINDERELLA (COMPLETE BALLET)
In needing to match the achievements of Tchaikovsky (“Swan Lake”; “Sleeping Beauty”; “Nutcracker”) and Stravinsky (“The Firebird”; “The Rite Of Spring”) when it came to ballet, Sergei Prokofiev actually managed to make two enduring ballet scores of his own. The first was his 1934 adaptation of “Romeo And Juliet”. Eleven years later, just after the end of World War II (or “The Great Patriotic War”, as it was known by Joseph Stalin and his Merry Band of Bolsheviks) in 1945, he created a second dance masterpiece in “Cinderella”. Using modern and fairly sizeable orchestral forces, Prokofiev’s dance retelling of the tale of Cinderella looking for her place in the world of love while being lorded over by a pair of domineering and arguably deranged stepmother and two stepsisters was instantly recognized by classical music observers on both sides of the Iron Curtain as a seminal 20th century ballet. The premier was held at Moscow’s famous Bolshoi Theatre on November 21, 1945, with Yuri Fayer conducting the orchestra, the choreography being done by Rostislav Zakarrov, and Galina Ulanova in the title role. With the lush scenery and the jubilant feel of Prokofiev’s music, “Cinderella”, despite being of extreme length at nearly two and a half hours, became regarded as one of the great achievements of 20th century ballet, and one of Prokofiev’s few works of his post-World War II period that Stalin could find “nothing wrong” with, although that didn’t stop people from saying that the infamous Soviet leader had tin ears. The ballet made it into the United States less than a year later in 1946, where it too garnered sizeable acclaim and audiences.
Cleveland Orchestra/VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY (London/Decca)
Prokofiev: CINDERELLA (COMPLETE BALLET)
In needing to match the achievements of Tchaikovsky (“Swan Lake”; “Sleeping Beauty”; “Nutcracker”) and Stravinsky (“The Firebird”; “The Rite Of Spring”) when it came to ballet, Sergei Prokofiev actually managed to make two enduring ballet scores of his own. The first was his 1934 adaptation of “Romeo And Juliet”. Eleven years later, just after the end of World War II (or “The Great Patriotic War”, as it was known by Joseph Stalin and his Merry Band of Bolsheviks) in 1945, he created a second dance masterpiece in “Cinderella”. Using modern and fairly sizeable orchestral forces, Prokofiev’s dance retelling of the tale of Cinderella looking for her place in the world of love while being lorded over by a pair of domineering and arguably deranged stepmother and two stepsisters was instantly recognized by classical music observers on both sides of the Iron Curtain as a seminal 20th century ballet. The premier was held at Moscow’s famous Bolshoi Theatre on November 21, 1945, with Yuri Fayer conducting the orchestra, the choreography being done by Rostislav Zakarrov, and Galina Ulanova in the title role. With the lush scenery and the jubilant feel of Prokofiev’s music, “Cinderella”, despite being of extreme length at nearly two and a half hours, became regarded as one of the great achievements of 20th century ballet, and one of Prokofiev’s few works of his post-World War II period that Stalin could find “nothing wrong” with, although that didn’t stop people from saying that the infamous Soviet leader had tin ears. The ballet made it into the United States less than a year later in 1946, where it too garnered sizeable acclaim and audiences.
Cleveland Orchestra/VLADIMIR ASHKENAZY (London/Decca)