Le Baiser de la fée

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Le Baiser de la fée
Choreographed by	Bronislava Nijinska
Composed by	Igor Stravinsky
Date of premiere	1928
Place of premiere	Paris
Original ballet company	Ballets Russes
Genre	Neoclassical ballet
Type	classical ballet
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See also: List of New York City Ballet repertory and NYCB 2008 Winter Repertory

Le Baiser de la fée is a ballet in one act and four scenes composed by Igor Stravinsky in 1928 and revised in 1950 for George Balanchine and New York City Ballet. Based on Hans Christian Andersen's short story, Sneedronninge (English: The Snow Queen), it is an homage to Tchaikovsky, making use of several melodies from his early works. Stravinsky elaborated melodies from early piano pieces and songs by Tchaikovsky. Ida Rubinstein commissioned the work and Bronislava Nijinska choreographed the 1928 Paris premiere.

Balanchine made a full-length ballet to the music on his American Ballet. The premiere took place April 27, 1937, at the Old Metropolitan Opera House, New York City. The NYCB premiere was November 28, 1950, at City Center of Music and Drama, New York, at which time it was re-titled The Fairy's Kiss (the original title has since been restored.)

1 Divertimento from "Le Baiser de la fée"
2 Casts
3 External links

[edit] Divertimento from "Le Baiser de la fée"

The Divertimento from "Le Baiser de la fée is a concert suite for orchestra of music from the ballet in 4 movements that Stravinsky arranged in 1934 and revised in 1949; the 4 movements are:

I. Sinfonia

II. Danses Russes

III. Scherzo

IV. Pas de deux

Balanchine created an entirely new work for City Ballet's Stravinsky Festival using excerpts from the concert suite and the original ballet. The premiere was June 21, 1972, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center. In 1974, Balanchine incorporated Tchaikovsky's "None But the Lonely Heart" for a new pas de deux.