You need to accept cookies to get access to the professional section
The Firebird, French title L'oiseau de feu, is a ballet and orchestral concert work by the Russian composer Igor Stravinsky. It was written for the 1910 Paris season of Sergei Diaghilev's Ballets Russes company, with choreography by Michel Fokine. The ballet is based on Russian folk tales of the magical glowing bird of the same name that is both a blessing and a curse to its captor. When the ballet was first performed on 25 June 1910, the critics were enthusiastic. Stravinsky was a young, virtually unknown composer when Diaghilev recruited him to create works for the Ballets Russes. The Firebird was his first project. Originally, Diaghilev approached the Russian composer Anatoly Lyadov, but later hired Stravinsky to compose the music. Many other versions have graced dance floors ever since, but Béjart’s version, first performed in 1970, is the best known. In the aftermath of 1986, Béjart takes the ballet a notch further from Russian fairytale, turning it into a feisty, political ballet that carries the spirit and colour of revolution. It is the story of battle, death, re-birth and courageous victory, and in this enthralling recording, the lead is played by Benjamin Pech.
The ballet centers on the journey of its hero, Prince Ivan. Ivan enters the magical realm of Kashchei the Immortal; all of the magical objects and creatures of Kashchei are herein represented by a chromatic descending motif, usually in the strings. While wandering in the gardens, he sees and chases the Firebird. The Firebird, once caught by Ivan, begs for its life and ultimately agrees to assist Ivan in exchange for eventual freedom. Next, Prince Ivan sees thirteen princesses, with one of whom he falls in love. The next day, Ivan chooses to confront Kashchei to ask to marry one of the princesses; the two talk and eventually begin quarreling. When Kashchei sends his magical creatures after Ivan, the Firebird, true to its pledge, intervenes, bewitching the creatures and making them dance an elaborate, energetic dance (the "Infernal Dance").
Benjamin Pech, Karl Paquette, and the Corps de Ballet of the Opera national de Paris, The Paris Opera Orchestra
Musical direction : Vello Pahn, Costumes: Joelle Roustan, Lighting: Clément Cayrol
French
French
Production compagny : Telmondis
Coproduction compagny : Bel Air Media, Opera national de Paris, Arte
Running Time : 1 x 24’
Production Year : 0
Distribution compagny : Telmondis distribution
Video Format : HD CAM, Digibeta 16/9