23 replies to this topic

[su-lian]

I suppose you mean the seven fairies from the prologue. In the original Petipa version, the first fairy is called "candide" and has a slow variation, and gives to Aurora purity. The two next ones dance together a faster, more energetic and dynamic variation with lots of ronds de jambe and give her joy and high spirits. The third variation (fourth fairy) is the breadcrumb one is a more staccato variation and symbolises the breadcrumbs being thrown on her (in russian tradition it brings a happy motherhood). The fifth fairy brings laughter and singing and is known (at least here in france) as the canary variation (she is in a bright yellow tutu). The sixth fairy is known as violent and also has quite a staccato variation with unconventional arm movements (stiff with the second finger pointing out). She gives a lively character. The last one, sometimes danced by the lilac fairy, is a rather slow variation with grands ronds de jambe and arabesques. She brings elegance, generosity and happiness (they all seem to bring happiness!).
Hope it helped a bit, and that someone else will have more original things to add!

[su-lian]

I suppose you mean the seven fairies from the prologue. In the original Petipa version, the first fairy is called "candide" and has a slow variation, and gives to Aurora purity. The two next ones dance together a faster, more energetic and dynamic variation with lots of ronds de jambe and give her joy and high spirits. The third variation (fourth fairy) is the breadcrumb one is a more staccato variation and symbolises the breadcrumbs being thrown on her (in russian tradition it brings a happy motherhood). The fifth fairy brings laughter and singing and is known (at least here in france) as the canary variation (she is in a bright yellow tutu). The sixth fairy is known as violent and also has quite a staccato variation with unconventional arm movements (stiff with the second finger pointing out). She gives a lively character. The last one, sometimes danced by the lilac fairy, is a rather slow variation with grands ronds de jambe and arabesques. She brings elegance, generosity and happiness (they all seem to bring happiness!).
Hope it helped a bit, and that someone else will have more original things to add!

[Alexandra]

Thank you, Su-lian.  We have an archived forum from our discussion of Sleeping Beauty that has information on the fairies.

http://www.balletale...p?s=&forumid=73


Calling Mel Johnson -- I checked (very briefly) your excellent Sleeping Beauty pages on our main site and didn't find much on the fairies.  Since this question will come up from time to time, and young dancers, especially, will be interested in the variations for exams and competitions, perhaps this is something we could add?  (And a thousand pardons if I missed it.)

[Mel Johnson]

Here they are!

http://www.balletale.....ng Guests.htm

Just scroll down to the foot of the page, and there are all the fairies in the whole thing.

[Alexandra]

Thanks, Mel.  I was thinking of a new page, perhaps with the different names of the fairies from various major productions   In your copious free time, of course...

[Alexandra]

Thanks, Mel.  I was thinking of a new page, perhaps with the different names of the fairies from various major productions   In your copious free time, of course...

[Hans]

I've never seen the 2nd variation danced by two people before.  To what production are you referring, su-lian?

[glebb]

I think I've seen this duet in the Nureyev version.

[Juliet]

I haven't either.  I thought perhaps I read the response incorrectly.....

[Alexandra]

In the Nureyev version, I agree, Glebb -- at least, the production he did for National Ballet of Canada.  I don't know if it's in the Paris production.  (I didn't get the point of it, but...)

[Marc Haegeman]

In Nureyev's version for Paris there are two fairies for the 2nd Prologue variation as well. Don't know why either.

[Jane Simpson]

A poster on ballet.co has seen the dress rehearsal of Makarova's new production for the Royal Ballet, and reveals that this time round the fairies are called Purity, Vitality, Generosity, Eloquence, and Temperament.

[su-lian]

Yes, the Nureyev version at the Paris Opera Ballet has it danced by two fairies and it is the version I know the best, but also according to the program, this was also how it was done at the creation by Marius Petipa. It was a pas de six with six fairies and six variations, but the last variation was danced by the lilac fairy, and the second variation was danced by two fairies, "coulante" and "fleur de farine"(which I wouldn't really be able to translate properly but it would probably be something like 'flowing' and 'pure wheaten flour'!). This is probably why Nureyev chose to have it like that because apparently he wanted to more or less keep the original Petipa choreography except that headded some variations for the men, as usual. , unless I haven't understood what was said in the program correctly, but I think this is what it says.

[Hans]

Those numbers don't add up properly--you wrote that there were six fairies and six variations, the last one danced by the Lilac Fairy.  By my count, that makes one fairy per variation.  As for it having been done that way originally, perhaps someone who saw the Kirov's reconstructed Sleeping Beauty could tell us for sure?  I'm wondering if this isn't a vestige of the time when somebody found a picture of Marie Petipa dressed as Lilac Fairy Act II and mistakenly added a fairy to the prologue.

[Marc Haegeman]

In the Mariinsky version each of the 6 variations is danced by one fairy, the last one being the lilac. In Nureyev's version the 6 variations are danced by 7 fairies, the 2nd variation is danced by two (Coulante 'and' Fleur de Farine, usually one and the same).

It's also interesting to read what Doug Fullington has to say about the Kirov's reconstruction: http://users.skynet....rs/Beauty1.html