On the Dnieper (Prokofiev)

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On the Dnieper, also called Sur le Borysthene in French, is the fourth ballet (Op. 51) written by Sergei Prokofiev.

Contents

[edit] Background

Sergei Diaghilev, the impresario who had led Ballets Russes to distinguished success, died suddenly in 1929, hence ending Prokofiev's collaboration with the troupe. (The Prodigal Son was the last such collaboration). Seeing the success of the work, the Paris Opera commissioned Prokofiev to write another ballet. Serge Lifar, formerly a close associate with Diaghilev, was responsible for creating the setting and choreography. However, he did not place any significance to the scenario. Rather, the ballet was created as a sequence of dances. On the Dnieper was the result of this collaboration.

The ballet was premiered in 1932, but it turned out to be a flop, especially when critics had been anticipating a work on the level of The Prodigal Son. The ballet was withdrawn from stage after a few performances, although Stravinsky and Milhaud warmly praised the music after the premiere.

Afterwards, Prokofiev extracted an orchestral suite from the ballet (as he did to his other stage works) as Op. 51a.

[edit] Analysis

Prokofiev continued to develop his lyrical line of composition in On the Dnieper, even more so than in The Prodigal Son. These two lyrical ballets provided much experience for the composer, who was about to start writing his first ballet in the Russian tradition: Romeo and Juliet.

[edit] Plot

The ballet contains 12 numbers, lasting around 40 minutes:

  1. Prelude
  2. Scene 1: The Meeting
  3. Scene 1: Mime Scene
  4. Scene 1: Pas de deux
  5. Scene 1: Variation of the First Dancer
  6. Scene 2: Betrothal
  7. Scene 2: Bridegroom's Dance
  8. Scene 2: Bride's Dance
  9. Scene 2: Men's Dance
  10. Scene 2: The Quarrel
  11. Scene 2: Mime Scene
  12. Epilogue

[edit] Premiere

[edit] Recordings

Orchestra Conductor Record Company Year of Recording Format
Russian State Symphony Orchestra Valeri Polyansky Chandos Records 2003 CD
WDR Sinfonieorchester Köln Michail Jurowski CPO 1998 CD
USSR Ministry of Culture State Symphony Orchestra Gennadi Rozhdestvensky Melodiya 1982 CD/LP

[edit] Suite from On the Dnieper

Suite from On The Dnieper, Op. 51a, is intended for concert performance and contains 6 movements, lasting for around 20 minutes:

  1. Prelude
  2. Variation of the First Dancer
  3. The Betrothal
  4. The Quarrel
  5. Scene
  6. Epilogue

[edit] Recordings

Orchestra Conductor Record Company Year of Recording Format
National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine Theodore Kuchar Naxos Records 1994 CD
Monte Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra James DePreist Koch 2001 CD

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Ballets by Sergei Prokofiev

Ala i Lolli · Chout · Trapeze · Le Pas d'acier · The Prodigal Son · On the Dnieper · Romeo and Juliet · Cinderella · The Tale of the Stone Flower

List of compositions by Sergei Prokofiev