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La Bayadère

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• • La Bayadère Run-Time: 2 hours and 46 minutes
  • Repertory:
  • La Bayadère
    Music:
    Ludwig Minkus
    Choreography:
    Florence Clerc after Marius Petipa
    
• • Performance Schedule:
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• LA BAYADÈRE SYNOPSIS
      ACT I, SCENE I     The story begins in an outside temple in the Sacred Forest where The High Brahmin, priests, and temple dancers, bayadères, are celebrating the Indian Ritual of Fire. Nikiya, the most beautiful of the bayadères, has been chosen to be consecrated as the lead temple dancer. The High Brahmin declares his love for her. But, Nikiya, in love with Solor, rejects him. Later, she meets secretly with Solor. Together they dance and swear eternal love over the Sacred Fire. The jealous High Brahmin discovers them and vows to kill Solor.
  
      ACT I, SCENE II     Within the palace, the Rajah, impressed by Solor's great valor, decides to reward him. The Rajah will offer Solor his greatest gift, his daughter Gamzatti. Gamzatti falls in love with Solor's portrait before the two meet. When they finally meet, Solor is stunned by her beauty. Overwhelmed with lust, and knowing he cannot defy the wishes of the Rajah, Solor agrees to marry Gamzatti. He is torn as he remembers the eternal love he has sworn to Nikiya.The High Brahmin, still owned by his jealousy, informs the Rajah of Nikiya and Solor's secret love in hopes that the Rajah will destroy Solor. Instead, the Rajah vows to kill Nikiya. Nearby, Gamzatti overhears their conversation and decides to intervene. Gamzatti meets with Nikiya in her room and tries to convince her to abandon Solor. Nikiya, desperate in her love for Solor, tries to kill Gamzatti and fails. Gamzatti is enraged and swears she will destroy Nikiya.
  
      ACT II     In the palace garden Solor and Gamzatti are awaiting their betrothal. In a cruel twist, Nikiya is commanded to dance. Gamzatti's maid Aiya presents Nikiya with a basket of flowers concealing a deadly snake within. Nikiya, believing the flowers are from Solor, dances with joy only to be bitten by the deadly snake. As Solor and Gamzatti flee the gathering, Nikiya is heartbroken, refuses the antidote which will save her, and dies.  
  
      ACT III    In his tent, Solor is destroyed by grief and under the influence of opium. He falls into a deep sleep and dreams of the pure love he shared with Nikiya. In his dream, Nikiya forgives Solor and he follows his beloved where they are reunited forever in the Kindom of Shades.          

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