Paris
National Opera  |
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Ballets
La Bayadère
| Ballet in 4 acts. The scene takes place in India. | |
| Act 1: The warrior Solor and the beautiful Bayadère Nikiya are secretly lovers and have planned to flee and marry. But the Rajah have chosen Solor as husband for his daughter Gamzatti, and the house of God’s Brahmane (sort of priest) wants to espouse Nikiya. Nikiya refuses the Brahamane, who is furious. He discovers Nikiya and Solor’s relation and decides to retaliate. He tells it at the Rajah. He, Solor, can’t oppose himself at Rajah’s volition. He is going to have to espouse Gamzatti. |
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| Act 2: The scene takes place in Rajah’s palace. A feast is given for the imminent wedding. Nakiya is invited to dance, that’s she does, expressing all her sadness and despair. Gamzatti, very jealous, offers her a bouquet where is hidden a snake whose bite is deadly. It is the retribution of Brahmane, Rajah and his daughter. However, the Brahmane is very enamoured of Nikiya, he doesn’t want to let her die, so he propounds her, an antidote to the bite that she will only be able to drink if she accepts to espouse him. She refuses and dies. |
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| Act 3: The scene takes place in shadows’ realm that Nikiya has rejoined. She reproaches to Solor having broken his love troth, but she says him that she still loves him. They dance together, interrupted by other shadows’ dances. |
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| Generally, the ballet ends there but there is a 4th act. It is not often danced because of technical means that it requires. | |
| Act 4: It is wedding day for Solor and Gamzatti. The feast begins and everybody dance. Nikiya’s shadow appears through these dances that disturbs Solor. Gamzatti perceives Nikiya’s shadow and is frightened. At the moment of couple union, the sky clouds, the thunderstorm rages, there is a seism, the palace falls down and all the occupants die. Nikiya’s shadow goes back over the ruins, gazing her retribution and then looks tenderly her dear Solor… |
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