Jump to content
This Site Uses Cookies. If You Want to Disable Cookies, Please See Your Browser Documentation. ×

finger pointing fairy?


Recommended Posts

Why dose the violente fairy (the one in red) have her index fingers pointed in Paris Opera's Sleeping Beauty? I know she is the fairy of passion but what dose the outstretched fingers have to do with it? Dose anyone like this, I though is was very distracting and a bit awkward.

Link to comment

She was meant to signify electricity. Doug Fullington explained that the theater had just been electrified. The pointed finger (or fingers) is standard for this variation.

The original fairies weren't all virtues, but physical things meant to represent those virtues (synecdoches?). Canary for beautiful singing, flour/face powder for beauty, crumbs for good health, etc.

There's a thread that discusses the fairies here:

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/4168-fairies-fairies-and-more-fairies/

Also, rg posted a screenshot of the chart of name changes from the original from "Dancers and Dancing" (1967):

http://balletalert.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/25771-the-names-of-the-fairies/?p=213624

Violante/electricity could have been a subversive suggestion on Petipa's part, pointing to the future (modernity) and energy that may have been lacking among the chief consumers of his product and certainly the court mirrored in the tale ;)

Link to comment

I have read the earlier thread about the fairies' names which calls into question Diaghilev's decision to call the Sleeping Beauty the Sleeping Princess. Perhaps I can provide the explanation for what seems, on first sight, to be an unnecessary and ill judged one. After all Diaghilev's enterprise which was always precarious financially failed on this occasion.

I understand that the decision to change the ballet's name was made to avoid confusion with the pantomime the Sleeping Beauty. Pantomime was extremely popular on Britain at that time and remained popular, certainly until the late 1950's, In the 1920's the pantomime season went on for months and was not confined to a few weeks either side of Christmas so the concern was probably well founded. I know that I read this explanation a long time ago I think in Lydia Sokolova's autobiography Dancing for Diaghilev. Sokolova whose name was selected by Diaghilev was originally called Hilda Munnings. She was the most senior English dancer in Diaghilev;s company and danced roles such as the Chosen One in Massine's version of The Rite of Spring,the Miller's wife in Le Tricorne and one of the main roles in Le Train Bleu. I think the tennis player based on Suzanne Langlande. Sokolova says that she assisted Diaghilev when it came to dealing with English impressarios such as Stoll who owned the Alhambra where the Sleeping Princess was performed..

Her autobiography is well worth reading as is a book by John Drummond based on his interviews with a large number of dancers who had danced in the Diaghilev company which I think was called Speaking of Diaghilev. The interviews were used in a two part documentary about Diaghilev and his company shown on the BBC more than forty years ago.

Link to comment
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...