Le Corsaire - Act I | Lunkina, Skvortsov, Merkuryev, Kaptsova (Bolshoi 2012)

Le Corsaire is a ballet typically presented in three acts, with a libretto originally created by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges loosely based on the poem The Corsair by Lord Byron. Originally choreographed by Joseph Mazilier to the music of Adolphe Adam and other composers, it was first presented by the ballet of the Théâtre Impérial de l’Opéra in Paris on 23 January 1856. All modern productions of Le Corsaire are derived from the revivals staged by the Ballet Master Marius Petipa for the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg throughout the mid to late 19th century.

Le Corsaire was created primarily for the famous Italian ballerina Carolina Rosati, who was then the Opéra's reigning Prima ballerina. The role of Conrad—which contained no dancing in Mazilier's original staging—was created by the Italian Domenico Segarelli. Although he was an accomplished dancer, it was Segarelli's abilities as a mime artist that won him the many roles he created on the stage of the Opéra. It would not be until many years later that the role of Conrad included any dancing.

The ballet has many celebrated passages which are often excerpted from the full-length work and performed independently: the scene Le Jardin animé, the Pas d’esclave, the Pas de trois des odalisques, and the so-called Le Corsaire pas de deux (music mostly by Riccardo Drigo), which is among classical ballet's most famous and performed excerpts.

Cast & Characters:
Medora - Svetlana Lunkina
Conrad - Ruslan Skvortsov
Birbanto - Andrey Merkuryev
Gulnara - Nina Kaptsova
Pas de deux - Anastasia Stashkevich, Vyacheslav Lopatin
Seid - Pasha - Alexey Loparevich

Music: Adolphe Adam, Cesare Pugni, Leo Delibes, Riccardo Drigo and the Duke Peter of Oldenburg
Libretto: Jules Henri Vernoy de Saint Georges et Joseph Mazilier
Choreography: Marius Petipa
New version of the choreography: Alexei Ratmansky, Yuri Burlaka

Set Designs: Boris Kaminsky
Costumes Designs: Elena Zaitseva
The Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theater
Conductor: Pavel Klinichev

Synopsis - Act I
Scene 1 – A Bazaar in a Seaport Square: Slave girls are among the goods for sale. Corsairs (pirates) arrive with their leader, Conrad. Watching the scene from a balcony is a young woman, Medora, the ward of the bazaar owner, Lankendem. She fashions a coded message into a bouquet of flowers, which she throws to Conrad. Later, when Medora and Lankendem go to the square, she and Conrad exchange loving glances. At this point, Seyd Pasha, a rich buyer of slave girls, arrives in the square. Seeing Medora, he is smitten and asks to buy her. Lankendem initially refuses, but as Seyd Pasha raises his price Lankendem eventually relents. Seyd Pasha orders that Medora be delivered to his palace and leaves. Conrad promises Medora that he and his corsairs will rescue her. The corsairs begin to dance with the slave girls. At a signal from Conrad the corsairs all run off with the girls. For good measure, they also kidnap Lankendem.

Scene 2 – The Corsair's Den: Medora asks Conrad to release the women slaves. To this he agrees. However, one of his men – Birbanto – objects and begins a fight. Conrad subdues him. Meanwhile, Lankendem tries to escape. The corsairs who are opposed to Conrad's release of the women convince Lankendem to stay long enough to give Conrad a flower sprayed with a sleeping potion. Later, at dinner, Medora dances for Conrad. Lankendem gives to her the flower with the sleeping potion, asking that she give it to Conrad. She does this, and when he smells the flower he falls asleep. Corsairs surround Medora, threatening her. Defensively, she stabs Birbanto in the arm and faints into the arms of the corsairs, who take her away. Conrad awakens and sets out to recapture Medora.

Act II: https://rumble.com/v57zw3x-le-corsaire-act-ii-lunkina-skvortsov-merkuryev-kaptsova-bolshoi-ballet-2012.html