Ballet
La Bayadère
La Bayadère is a sweeping tale of love, jealousy, and revenge set in a dreamlike vision of India. It has a temple dancer, a warrior, and one of the most breathtaking group scenes in all of ballet. The famous Kingdom of the Shades looks almost hypnotic on stage.
Fast facts
- Composer
- Ludwig Minkus
- Choreographer
- Marius Petipa
- Premiere
- 1877, Imperial Bolshoi Theatre, St. Petersburg
- Structure
- Four acts
- Running time
- About 2 hours 45 minutes with intervals
The story
The temple dancer Nikiya is in love with the warrior Solor, but he is promised to Gamzatti, the daughter of a powerful rajah. Out of jealousy, Gamzatti arranges for Nikiya to be killed by a snake hidden in a basket of flowers. Grief stricken, Solor dreams of Nikiya in the Kingdom of the Shades, a serene afterlife filled with identical veiled spirits. In many productions the gods punish the betrayal and reunite the lovers beyond death.
What La Bayadère is famous for
- the Kingdom of the Shades scene
- the long line of identical dancers entering one by one
- the temple dancer Nikiya
- its dramatic love triangle
Companies that perform La Bayadère
La Bayadère is in the repertoire of companies including American Ballet Theatre, The Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Mariinsky Ballet, Paris Opera Ballet.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Kingdom of the Shades?
It is a famous scene in which a long line of dancers dressed in white slowly enter the stage one after another, creating a hypnotic, dreamlike effect.
What does bayadère mean?
The word refers to a temple dancer. The ballet's heroine, Nikiya, is a bayadère, which is where the title comes from.
Why is the Shades scene so admired?
It demands perfect unity from the corps de ballet, since dozens of dancers must move as one, and it is often held up as a showcase of classical precision.
Who composed La Bayadère?
La Bayadère was composed by Ludwig Minkus.
How long is La Bayadère?
La Bayadère runs about 2 hours 45 minutes with intervals.