Les Sylphides facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Les Sylphides |
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Set design by Léon Bakst
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| Choreographed by | Michel Fokine |
| Composed by | Frederic Chopin |
| Date of premiere | 2 June 1909 |
| Place of premiere | Théâtre du Châtelet Paris |
| Original ballet company | Diaghilev's Ballets Russes |
| Characters | Poet Sylphs |
| Designs by | Alexandre Benois |
| Setting | Forest glade |
| Created for | Nijinsky |
| Genre | Romantic ballet |
| Type | Classical |
| Fokine's Ballets |
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Les Sylphides (1909) |
Les Sylphides (which means "The Sylphs" in English) is a beautiful ballet. It was created by the famous choreographer Michel Fokine. The music for the ballet comes from the brilliant composer Frederic Chopin. Other artists, like Stravinsky, helped arrange Chopin's music for the orchestra. The lovely sets and costumes were designed by Alexandre Benois.
This ballet was first shown by the Ballets Russes company. This happened in Paris at the Théâtre du Châtelet on June 2, 1909. Famous dancers like Nijinsky, Tamara Karsavina, Anna Pavlova, and Maria Baldina starred in it. Les Sylphides is special because it doesn't tell a story. Instead, it's a series of dances that create a magical mood. It makes you feel the atmosphere of a romantic ballet.
How Les Sylphides Was Created
Les Sylphides grew from an earlier ballet by Fokine called Chopiniana. This first version was performed in St Petersburg on March 21, 1908. It showed imaginary scenes from Chopin's life. These scenes included a Polish wedding and a ballroom dance.
Fokine later changed Chopiniana. He removed all the characters and any hint of a story. His goal was to create a ballet that simply brought out the feeling of a romantic ballet. This new version, still called Chopiniana, was performed again in St Petersburg on April 6, 1908. For this show, the dancers wore long white ballet tutus. This style was made famous by Marie Taglioni in the ballet La Sylphide. When this revised ballet was brought to Paris, it was given its new name: Les Sylphides.
What Music Is Used?
Les Sylphides uses several pieces of music by Frederic Chopin. These pieces are often played in a specific order during the ballet. They help create the dreamy, romantic mood.
Here are some of the musical numbers usually included:
- Polonaise in A major, Op. 40, No. 1 (sometimes the Prelude in A major, Op. 28, No. 7 is used instead)
- Nocturne in A flat major, Op. 32, No. 2
- Waltz in G flat major, Op. 70, No. 1
- Mazurka in D major, Op. 33, No. 2
- Mazurka in C major, Op. 67, No. 3
- Prelude in A major, Op. 28, No. 7
- Waltz in C sharp minor, Op. 64, No. 2
- Grande valse brillante in E flat major, Op. 18
Images for kids
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A scene from a performance in Baku, 2014
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The original set design from 1909 by Alexandre Benois
See also
In Spanish: Las sílfides para niños
