YEDDA

[rg]

the following scan of a little 'stereo'/tissue-paper photo from YEDDA may or may document the ballet's premiere appearances from 1879.

the title role was danced by Sangalli - Louis Merante's first SYLVIA. Merante also choreographed this work and danced one of its prominent male characters as well.

the role of 'Sakourada, Queen of the Spirits' of the Night, was first danced by (Mme) [blanche?] Righetti, who may be shown in this photo. (It's interesting that the Queen's name in this French work seems to be a based on a Russified version of the word 'sakura,' which, if i'm not mistaken, means 'cherry blossom' in japanese.)

Beaumont's COMPLETE BOOK OF BALLETS includes this work with a cast and plot rundown as well as some commentary.

[carbro]

Thanks, rg, for yedda 'nother wonderful look into the past.

I can hear you groaning. Sorry.

It's a beautiful tableau. Following your hypothesis of origin, the name Sakourada is probably another Romantic-Era attempt to evoke the exotic.

[bart]

Thanks, rg. They certainly seem to have squeezed those corps ladies into a very small space!

"Yedda" is such an interesting sounding name. Who was she, and where did she come from? I wonder.

I was curious about Merante, too, so I Googled his name. The Wikipedia entry has a portrait photograph, but also -- and more interesting -- a copy of the Degas painting, Foyer de la Danse a l'Opera de la Rue Peletier, 1872. Most of us have seen the painting, but I did not know that Merante is the man standing, wearing a white suit, carrying the stick he used for beating time on the floor boards. The picture enlarges a bit if you click it.

Here's the link:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_M%C3%A9rant%C3%A9

[Mel Johnson]

Sakura does indeed mean cherry blossom in Japanese, but the family name Sakurada is well-known, too. Jisuke Sakurada (1) was the author of over a hundred kabuki plays and as many gagaku (court dance dramas) His grandson was a rough contemporary of Mérante, and was still performing his grandfather's work. Sakurada's work is still performed and analyzed today.

But I also wonder if this is the root, or if it's a Hindi name like Saccountala (in the French spelling).

Still, I'm reminded of Allan Sherman's recording, My Son, the Folk Singer, and his rendering, yes that's the right word, of "Alouette":

"Al and Yedda

Always sit togedda

At da TV

Ev'ry single night...."

[rg]

one can get many details about YEDDA from beaumont's entry.

the action was set in japan, there's a mikado, a princess, a conniving jester, and Nori (Merante), the lover of the fickle Yedda.

the scene on the stereocard is likely the number that surrounded the action for Yedda's travel to an island ruled by Sakurada, Queen of the Night Spirits, where the eponymous figure finds a talismanic branch that drops leaves every time she's granted a wish - until that is, there are no more leaves in which case her life is forfeit.

[Mel Johnson]

That's kinda fun. "Nori" in Japanese means "seaweed". It can also mean "glue".

[bart]

the scene on the stereocard is likely the number that surrounded the action for Yedda's travel to an island ruled by Sakurada, Queen of the Night Spirits, where the eponymous figure finds a talismanic branch that drops leaves every time she's granted a wish - until that is, there are no more leaves in which case her life is forfeit.

Ah! A possible urtext for "The Leaves are Fading"?

[Mel Johnson]

I wonder if "Yedda" were an attempted transliteration of "Yedo", the ancient name for Tokyo.

[cubanmiamiboy]

I wonder if "Yedda" were an attempted transliteration of "Yedo", the ancient name for Tokyo.

Wow...! Now i really know that i know nothing...

[atm711]

I wonder if "Yedda" were an attempted transliteration of "Yedo", the ancient name for Tokyo.

Wow...! Now i really know that i know nothing...

If you did puzzles you'd know

[cubanmiamiboy]

I wonder if "Yedda" were an attempted transliteration of "Yedo", the ancient name for Tokyo.

Wow...! Now i really know that i know nothing...

If you did puzzles you'd know

Oops...(never been able to finish one...nor how to play chess...oops)

[Aaron]

Sakourada could be a French transcription of Sakurada, the English transcription of the name of one of the gates (entrances) to the Imperial palace. I believe but am not certain that this name existed at the time the ballet was created. I do not think that it was likely that the gate inspired the name in the ballet.

[Aaron]

"talismanic branch that drops leaves every time she's granted a wish - until that is, there are no more leaves in which case her life is forfeit" ---- I recall reading this too, in Beaumont's book, but this time I had to chuckle, because it suggests the (in)famous strip tease dance of a certain type of treaty port teahouse geishas in the XIX century. As commemorated by the Chon Kina number in Britain's musical comedy smash "The Geisha", this dance was a sort of musical chair competition; when the geishe didn't stop with the music, one layer of clothing was the forfeit....

[Aaron]

the word 'nori' meaning 'glue' is written with different characters than used for 'nori' in given names or the 'nori' of seaweed. The verb 'to ride", 'noru, becomes "nori-" in some conjugations. ...Just in case you are interested....