La fille mal gardée

The charming ballet La Fille mal gardée is back to stage at the Teatro dell'Opera in Rome in May, the oldest of the ballets still firmly in the repertoire of all the major dance companies.

Presented in the famous version by Frederick Ashton - reprized by Jean-Christophe Lesage - with sets and costumes by Osbert Lancaster, the ballet sees the Étoiles, Principal dancers, Soloists and Corps de ballet from the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma on stage, guests the Parisian étoile Léonore Baulac, making her debut at the Costanzi, and Daniil Simkin. The score is performed live by the Orchestra of the Rome Opera, while conductor Philip Ellis takes the podium for the first time.

It was in July 1789, a few days before the storming of the Bastille, when the great dancer and choreographer Jean Dauberval (1742 – 1806) conceived the most famous ballet of the 18th century on the stage of the Grand-Théâtre in Bordeaux: La Fille mal gardée (then called Le Ballet de la paille).

The work – evidence of the new spirit that pervaded dance, oriented towards the new born “Ballet d'action” – ironically recounted the thwarted love of two young peasants, Lise and Colas, determined to live their love story in spite of her mother, intent on marrying her daughter to the foolish but rich Alain. In this way Duberval, having abandoned the courtly conventions of the dramaturgy of the time, staged a simple and witty story, set in a bucolic setting, between dances and country parties, haystacks and domestic animals that burst onto the scene.

A turning point in the history of the famous ballet came in 1960, when the celebrated English choreographer Frederick Ashton conceived his edition for the Royal Opera House in London, a work that will quickly become the reference version worldwide. Inspired by the original model and the contribution of Petipa, Sir Frederick Ashton combined pantomime and virtuosity, making it one of the most original choreographies, particularly in the series of virtuosic pas de deux that express the youthful passion of the two lovers. Inspired by his love for the Suffolk countryside, the ballet is pervaded by a lively atmosphere, between country dances, colored ribbons of the pas de ruban and amusing paintings such as that of the dancing hens. The music, adapted by John Lanchbery, is inspired by the original ones by Ferdinand Hérold.

With: Rebecca Bianchi, Susanna Salvi, Alessio Rezza, Claudio Cocino and Michele Satriano.

Staging Bayerische Staatsoper of Munich.