Ballet
Lady of the Camellias
If you love a sweeping, heartbreaking romance, this is the full-length ballet for you. Neumeier based it on the Dumas novel that also gave us the opera La Traviata, all set to lush Chopin piano music. It's a dancer's dream, built around the doomed courtesan Marguerite and some of the most emotional duets in the modern repertoire.
Fast facts
- Composer
- Frédéric Chopin
- Choreographer
- John Neumeier
- Premiere
- 1978, Stuttgart
- Structure
- Three acts
- Running time
- About 2 hours 45 minutes
The story
Based on Alexandre Dumas fils's novel, the ballet tells the tragic love story of Marguerite Gautier, a Parisian courtesan, and the young Armand Duval. Told partly in flashback after Marguerite's death, it traces their passionate affair, the pressure from Armand's father to end it for the family's sake, and Marguerite's wrenching decision to leave him. Framed by the couple's mirror story of Manon Lescaut, which they watch at the theater, it builds to Marguerite's lonely death from illness, with Armand returning too late.
What Lady of the Camellias is famous for
- Its sweeping Chopin piano score
- Three great duets between Marguerite and Armand
- The story behind the opera La Traviata
- A signature full-length role for star ballerinas
Companies that perform Lady of the Camellias
Lady of the Camellias is in the repertoire of companies including Stuttgart Ballet, Hamburg Ballet.
Good to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this the same story as La Traviata?
Yes, same source. Both the ballet and Verdi's opera La Traviata come from Alexandre Dumas fils's novel and play The Lady of the Camellias, about the courtesan Marguerite and her doomed love.
What music is used?
John Neumeier set the ballet entirely to piano and orchestral works by Frédéric Chopin, which gives it a romantic, intimate sound rather than a single commissioned score.
How is it related to Manon?
Within the ballet, Marguerite and Armand watch the story of Manon Lescaut, another fallen woman, which mirrors and foreshadows their own tragedy. Note this is separate from MacMillan's ballet Manon.
Who composed Lady of the Camellias?
Lady of the Camellias was composed by Frédéric Chopin.
How long is Lady of the Camellias?
Lady of the Camellias runs about 2 hours 45 minutes.