On the Dnieper
On the Dnieper (На Днепре), Op. 51, is a ballet in two scenes with prelude and epilogue by
Background
Lifar, in his 1965 book La danse, said that he was disappointed with Prokofiev's score. Lifar claimed to have been inspired by Russian folkdance, but acknowledges that critics found his own choreography insufficiently Russian.
Preparations for the ballet were marked by the sudden withdrawal of
Analysis
Prokofiev continued to develop his lyrical line of composition in On the Dnieper, even more so than in The Prodigal Son. These two lyrical ballets provided much experience for the composer, who was about to start writing his first ballet in the Russian tradition: Romeo and Juliet.
Plot
Sergei, a
The ballet contains 12 numbers, lasting around 40 minutes:
- Prelude
- Scene 1: The Meeting
- Scene 1: Mime Scene
- Scene 1: Pas de deux
- Scene 1: Variation of the First Dancer
- Scene 2: Betrothal
- Scene 2: Bridegroom's Dance
- Scene 2: Bride's Dance
- Scene 2: Men's Dance
- Scene 2: The Quarrel
- Scene 2: Mime Scene
- Epilogue
Premiere
The ballet was premiered on 16 December
Revival
In 2009 Alexei Ratmansky choreographed the Prokofiev score anew for American Ballet Theatre. In his version, Sergei returns his village to discover that he no longer loves his sweetheart, Natalia, but is instead attracted to Olga, who is to wed another man. "Grief-stricken yet noble, Natalia unselfishly helps the young lovers, Sergei and Olga, to escape together to a life of happiness." In the premiere of this version, Marcelo Gomes danced the role of Sergei, Paloma Herrera the role of Olga, Veronika Part the role of Natalia, and David Hallberg the role of Olga's Fiancé.
Recordings
Orchestra | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
---|---|---|---|---|
State Symphony Capella of Russia | Valeri Polyansky
|
Chandos Records | 2003 | CD |
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln
|
Michail Jurowski | CPO | 1998 | CD |
USSR Ministry of Culture State Symphony Orchestra
|
Gennadi Rozhdestvensky
|
Melodiya | 1982 | CD/LP |
Suite from On the Dnieper
Suite from On The Dnieper, Op. 51a, is intended for concert performance and contains 6 movements, lasting for around 20 minutes:
- Prelude
- Variation of the First Dancer
- The Betrothal
- The Quarrel
- Scene
- Epilogue
Recordings
Orchestra | Conductor | Record Company | Year of Recording | Format |
---|---|---|---|---|
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine | Theodore Kuchar | Naxos Records
|
1994 | CD |
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra
|
James DePreist | Koch | 2001 | CD |
References
- ^ Macaulay, Alastair (2 June 2009). "Cherry Blossom Season, and Love Is in Full Flower". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2019.