Raymonda Act III

Raymonda was created by Marius Petipa in 1898 for the Mariinsky Theatre in St Petersburg. It contains some of his most spectacular choreography and a magnificent score by Alexander Glazunov, full of spirited rhythms and lilting waltzes – George Balanchine called it ‘some of the finest ballet music we have’. Rudolf Nureyev had an intimate knowledge of Raymonda: he performed in the ballet as a young dancer with the Kirov Ballet and staged a full-length version for The Royal Ballet in 1964, reviving many of the dances from memory. Nureyev presented an adapted version of Act III for the Royal Ballet Touring Company in 1966 (it was eventually danced by The Royal Ballet at Covent Garden in 1969). Against a rich palatial set created by Barry Kay, a Hungarian folkdance opens the wedding celebrations for a ballerina and her cavalier.