Firebird - San Francisco Ballet
Firebird - San Francisco Ballet
Firebird - San Francisco Ballet
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Famous <strong>Firebird</strong>s<br />
1910<br />
1954<br />
The original production<br />
of <strong>Firebird</strong> was choregraphed<br />
by Mikhail<br />
Fokine for Diaghilev’s<br />
<strong>Ballet</strong>s Russes. First<br />
performed in Paris, it<br />
featured scenery and<br />
costumes devised by<br />
Alexander Golovine<br />
with the lead costumes<br />
Mikhail Fokine & Tamara Karsavina designed by Leon<br />
Bakst. Tamara Karsavina danced the<br />
title role with Fokine himself dancing<br />
Prince Ivan.<br />
Tamara Karsavina<br />
taught the role of<br />
the <strong>Firebird</strong> to<br />
Margot Fonteyn for<br />
the Sadlers Wells<br />
revival of the <strong>Firebird</strong>.<br />
Her Prince<br />
was Michael<br />
Somes, and this is<br />
one of the few versions<br />
of <strong>Firebird</strong><br />
that is still available commerically on<br />
video.<br />
Karsavina rehearses Margot Fonteyn in the <strong>Firebird</strong><br />
1949<br />
1970<br />
In 1945, Igor<br />
Stravinsky produced<br />
a new orchestral<br />
version of the ballet<br />
as a suite. George<br />
Balanchine used<br />
this 1945 Suite for<br />
his New York City<br />
<strong>Ballet</strong> production of<br />
Maria Tallchief as the <strong>Firebird</strong><br />
the <strong>Firebird</strong> in 1949.<br />
It starred Maria Tallchief as the magical<br />
bird and <strong>Francisco</strong> Moncion as Prince<br />
Ivan. The fantastical sets and costumes<br />
were originally designed by artist Marc<br />
Chagall for a different production at<br />
American <strong>Ballet</strong> Theatre.<br />
George Balanchine<br />
returned to the <strong>Firebird</strong><br />
in a collaboration with<br />
Jerome Robbins. For<br />
this version, completely<br />
new sets were created<br />
by Marc Chagall and<br />
Barbara Karinska<br />
modified the costumes.<br />
The role of the <strong>Firebird</strong><br />
was danced by Gelsey<br />
Kirkland, with Jacques d’Amboise<br />
playing Prince Ivan.<br />
Jacques d’Amboise & Gelsey Kirkland<br />
S A N F R A N C I S C O B A L L E T 15 F I R E B I R D / B L U E R O S E S T U DY G U I D E
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