Ferdinand Herold’s La Fille mal gardée is looking to become one of the main theatrical events of 2021-2022 season and a great gift for all the Novosibirsk ballet admirers. First shows are scheduled on 11 and 12 February on the Main Stage NOVAT.
This light, humorous ballet has had various names (Poorly guarded daughter, Ballet about hay, It’s a thin line between good and evil, A tricked old lady) throughout its three hundred years in world music theatre repertoire. It’s one of the oldest classical ballets that was created at the end of XVIII century and still remains one of the most popular productions of the world, which is at the same time quite a cheerful and life asserting one. In Russian ballet world this production goes by the title Unnecessary Precaution. History knows of three composers, who addressed to the plain hearted plot about two lovers looking to be together, but having to deal with their families’ intrigues: Pierre Gaveaux (1796), Ferdinand Herold (1828) and Peter Ludwig Hertel, although both music and choreography underwent a number of significant changes throughout its existence. Almost each known ballet master of Europe and Russia deemed it necessary to stage this production. Marius Petipa, Lev Ivanov, Alexander Gorsky, Fyodor Lopukhov, Leonid Lavrovsky, Nikolay Boyarchikov, Oleg Vinogradov, Yury Grigorovich all presented their versions of La Fille mal gardée on the venues of Moscow and St.-Petersburg.
However, the most interesting fate found the production of sir Frederick Ashton, one of the founders of the British national ballet. His production was set to the music by Ferdinand Herold and premiered with the Royal Ballet in 1960. Frederick Ashton’s staging became a reference having entered Covent Garden’s repertoire for several decades. Apart from that, the production was staged multiple times on various venues of the world.
La Fille mal gardée was staged at the Novosibirsk opera and ballet theatre in 1979 to the music by Peter Ludwig Hertel. The staging was directed by Anatoly Dementiev, former head of the ballet company and apprentice to Petr Gusev.
Filled with Idyllic rural charm and humor, Frederick Ashton’s version of this ballet will be staged in February on the Main Stage of NOVAT. The company picked Frederick Ashton’s version in order to present the best rendition to the audience and introduce a choreographer that has greatly affected the development of classical ballet. Additionally, this production provides opportunities for the dancers to show off their technical and artistic skills. For that reason, the main roles of Lise and Colas are deeply desired by the soloists.
A very special present for the NOVAT audience is the participation of a legendary dancer, People’s Artist of Russia Nikolay Tsiskaridze. The famous artist will perform the part of the widow Simone at evening shows on 11 and 12 February, while the part of Lise will be rendered by the world ballet star Angelina Vorontsova, and Colas by the Mikhailovsky Ballet soloist Nikita Chetverikov.
La Fille mal gardée is the second landmark ballet premiere of this season that was created and considered innovative in 1960s later to enter the classical ballet hall of fame and stay popular with the audience up to this day. The first one was Roland Petit’s Notre Dame de Paris, which premiered on the Siberian stage on 29 November 2021.