Raymonda (Nureyev)
Before Rudolf Nureyev’s defection to the West, Raymonda was rarely staged outside of Russia. The last of Marius Petipa’s great productions, first performed in St Petersburg in 1898, Raymonda is famous for its exciting blend of dance styles and its flowery, complex narrative. While at the Kirov, Nureyev had seen Raymonda multiple times. In March 1959, he made his first appearance in the role of a knight in the third act pas de quatre, gaining insights into the production that would later prove invaluable. In January 1962, having only recently arrived in the West, he staged the pas de quatre for a series of concert performances in Paris and Cannes.
In 1964, Nureyev again chose Raymonda for his first attempt at staging a full-length classical production. With his prodigious recall for steps and movement, he was able to recreate the entire ballet from memory. The opening night in Spoleto received a rather muted response from both audience and critics. This was largely due to the fact that Margot Fonteyn did not appear. A sudden deterioration in her husband’s condition (following a recent assassination attempt) pulled Fonteyn back to England and her understudy, Doreen Wells, stepped in to dance the premiere and subsequent shows. On the last night of the show’s run, Fonteyn returned and performed the title role, to the delight of audience and critics. Fonteyn and Nureyev received 32 curtain calls.
Over the course of his career, Nureyev staged five versions of Raymonda, for the Australian Ballet (1965), Zurich Opera Ballet (1972), American Ballet Theater (1975) and the Paris Opéra (1983). He also staged Raymonda Act III – rich in divertissements – for The Royal Ballet, in 1965.
As with all his choreographies of the great classical ballets, Nureyev heightened the existing roles for male dancers, adding the detailed characterisation for which he was famous and elevating Abderam(sometimes known as Abderakhman or the Saracen Chief) from standard mime to highly complex choreography. Jean de Brienne was no longer a one-dimensional, rather uninspiring male lead, but a figure infused with nobility and dashing heroism. By making Abderam an undeniably attractive figure to Raymonda, Nureyev created an air of sexual tension and rivalry with Jean de Brienne that energised both roles.
Nureyev’s 1983 version of Raymonda for the Paris Opéra, shortly after he became the company’s director, is considered his definitive interpretation. Starring Elisabeth Platel, Charles Jude and Jean Guizerix, the opening night was such a success that Nureyev received an ecstatic letter of thanks from Igor Eisner at the French Ministry of Culture. A major highlight of the performance was a duet performed by the young dancers Laurent Hilaire and Manuel Legris, both of whom Nureyev would later appoint as étoiles.
Raymonda is still in repertoire today.