Борис Анисфельдcatalogue raisonnéBoris Anisfeld1878 - 1973early in St. Petersburg early in St. Petersburg Sadko 1911 Sadko 1911 Islamey 1912 Islamey 1912 Les Préludes 1913 Les Préludes 1913 Cleopatra 1913 Cleopatra 1913 Seven Daughters 1913 Seven Daughters 1913 Les Sylphides 1914 Les Sylphides 1914 The Blue Bird 1919 The Blue Bird 1919 Reine Fiammette 1919 Reine Fiammette 1919 Mefistofele 1920 Mefistofele 1920 Love for 3 Oranges Love for 3 Oranges The Snow Maiden 1922 The Snow Maiden 1922 The King of Lahore 1924 The King of Lahore 1924 Carnival 1926 Carnival 1926 Turandot 1926 Turandot 1926 Aziade 1926 Aziade 1926 The White Fan (Der weisser Fächer) Play by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, 1897 Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Production unconfirmed The Marriage of Zobeide (Die Hochzeit der Sobeide) Drama by Hugo von Hofmannsthal, 1897 Regie: V. Meyerhold, F. Komissarjevsky Sets: B. Anisfeld Costumes: F. Komissarjevsky Russian premiere: February 12, 1907, at V. Komissarjevskaya Theatre, St. Petersburg Set in Persia, this symbolist drama related the tragedy of a young woman forced to marry a rich merchant in order to settle her father’s debts. The Ocean A story by Leonid Andreyev adapted for a stage production, 1911 Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Unrealized, prohibited by censors Andreyev’s symbolic drama is set in a fishermen’s settlement, where a sinister pirate unmasks the moral dubiousness of the village priest and the materialistic limitations of the poor fishermen, while he extols crime and lawlessness as glorious acts of self-expression. Gabriel Schilling’s Flight (Gabriel Schillings Flucht) Drama by Gerhardt Hauptmann, 1905 - 1906 Russian Drama Theatre (in Panayev’s Theatre House), St. Petersburg Company: K. Nezlobin and A. Reinecke Russian premiere: spring 1912 Regie: A.Tairov Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld The Undersea Kingdom (Au Royaume Sous-marine) Opera-ballet, scene 6 of the opera Sadko by N. Rimsky-Korsakov Libretto: A. Bolm Choreography: M. Fokine Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Company: Diaghilev’s Ballet Russe Premiere: May 13, 1911 at theTeatro Constanzi, Rome Premiere in Paris: June 6, 1911 at the Théâtre du Châtelet Also performed March 10, 1912 at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg (charity performance held in aid of the Literary Fund) Revived 1915 in Paris with costumes by Natalie Gontcharova and choreography by A. Bolm, performed 1916 in Madrid, San Sebastian and Bilbao (Spain), and also 1918 in London American premiere: Manhattan, October 9, 1916 (1911 set by B. Anisfeld, costumes by N. Gontcharova) Sadko Opera by N. Rimsky-Korsakov Regie: I. Lapitsky Costumes: B. Anisfeld Premiere: March 10, 1912, Theatre of Music Drama, St. Petersburg Costume designs by Anisfeld were also used 1914 for the performance of the opera Sadko at the theatre of the House of the Folk in St. Petersburg (Regie: C. F. Gertsevitch, sets: I. Bilibine, premiere: November 3, 1914) Sadko, a poor but spirited minstrel, wagers his head against the riches of the Novgorod merchants that he will catch golden fish in the Lake Ilmen. He wins as the result of aid afforded him by the Sea King’s daughter. He embarks on the ship that has become his, but a great storm arises and it is decided by the company to sweeten the Sea King by offering him one of them. Lots are drawn and this duty falls on Sadko, who throws himself into the sea. He descends into the realm of the Sea King who invites him to play to the court on his gusli, which he does so masterly that soon the King and his entourage begin to dance. Their movements grow wilder and wilder and set the whole sea in motion so that a terrible storm arises. But St. Nicholas, fearing for the safety of the mariners, causes the gusli to fall to the ground, commands Sadko to return home, and transforms the Sea King’s daughter into the River Volkhov on which the town of Novgorod stands. The scene The Undersea Kingdom deals with Sadko’s entrance and departure from the Sea King’s domain, and ends a little differently in that Sadko himself breaks the strings of his instrument and makes his escape to the upper world, taking the King’s daughter with him as his bride. Islamey 1912 Ballet by M. Balakirev Scenario and choreography: M. Fokine Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Production: Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg Premiere: March 10, 1912 (charity performance held in aid of the Literary Fund) The theme of the seven minutes long ballet, taken from The Thousand and One Night, is based on the story of the young King of the Black Islands. The king’s wife gives her husband a cup of wine which she has drugged with bhang. But he has been advised of her plot and only pretends to drink the wine and fall asleep. The wife then conceals her husband behind a curtain and welcomes her lover, who is a negro. At the height of their love-making the king emerges from behind the curtain and slays the lover. The wife is so terrified at her husband’s unexpected appearance that she throws herself out of the window and falls over a precipice. Les Préludes Music by F. Liszt (Symphonic Poem № 3) Libretto: M. Fokine and B. Anisfeld after a poem by A. de Lamartine Scenario and choreography: M. Fokine Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Production: Pavlova Ballet First performed January 15, 1913, Neues Operntheater (Kroll), Berlin Also performed in the same year at the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg Also performed during Anna Pavlova’s 1914 – 15 American Tour Liszt’s music was inspired by Lamartine’s Méditations Poétiques which suggested that life is a series of preludes to an unknown song, of which the first note is sung by death. A Night in Egypt (Cleopatra) 1913 One-act ballet Music: A. Arensky, A. Glazunov, M. Glinka, N. Rimsky-Korsakov Choreography: M. Fokine Production: Michel Fokine Company Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld First performed January 15, 1913, Neues Operntheater (Kroll), Berlin Fokine's Cleopatra was introduced in 1908 in St. Petersburg with scenery by Orest Allegri and costumes by Mikhail Zandin. When the Diaghilev Ballets Russes performed the ballet in 1909 in Paris, Diaghilev altered Arensky’s original score (inserting works by Rimsky-Korsakov, Glinka, Mussorgsky, and Glazunov), changed the ending of the plot, and titled it Cleopatra. It was designed by L. Bakst. The Fokine Company performed the ballet in Stockholm as Cleopatra and in Berlin as A Night in Egypt during the 1913 season, with sets and costumes designed by Anisfeld. In Fokine’s version, Amoun and Berenice are lovers. Amoun falls in love with Cleopatra and agrees to accept death in exchange for one night with her. In the morning Amoun drinks the poison as agreed, and Cleopatra sails away on Antony’s ship. The High Priest, who thoughtfully substituted a sleeping draught for the poison, consoles Berenice and tells her to awaken her lover. Seven Daughters of the Mountain King 1913 Ballet by A. Spendiarov Libretto: M. Fokine and B. Anisfeld Choreography: M. Fokine Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Production: Pavlova Ballet First performed January 1, 1913, Neues Operntheater (Kroll), Berlin Also performed during Anna Pavlova’s 1914 – 15 American Tour The ballet is based on Lermontov’s poem, The Three Palms. Anisfeld assisted Fokine in writing the libretto as well as in designing the décor and costumes. The winged daughters of the King of the Black Mountains, dissatisfied with their lonely existence and eager for human experiences, defy their father anger and entertain the handsome visitors who appear in a caravan. As punishment, their father creates a fire which first consumes their wings, symbol of divine purity, and then their bodies. The surviving daughter, who did not disobey her father, dies of grief or her sisters. Les Sylphides (Chopiniana) Choreography: M. Fokine Production: M. Fokine Company Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Stockholm, Royal Theatre, 1914 La Reine Fiammette Opera in six scenes in the four acts Libretto: C. Mendés Music: X. Leroux Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld United States Premiere: January 24, 1919, at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York The opera is set in sixteenth-century Italy and relates the tragedy of Queen Orlanda, called the little flame, who is in danger of assassination because of her sympathies with the teachings of Luther. Cardinal Sforza, with the aid of Orlanda’s Consort, Giorgio D’Ast, enlists Danielo as her assassin by telling him that Orlanda is responsible for his brother’s death. Danielo, unaware of her identity, falls in love with Orlanda and subsequently learns that she is innocent of his brother’s death. Danielo is taken prisoner when he attempts to stop the murder of Orlanda by the Cardinal, and the lovers are sentenced to die together. The Blue Bird (L’Oiseau Bleu) Opera, the four-act lyric comedy Libretto: M. Maeterlinck Music: A. Wolff Regie: G. Gatti-Casazza Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld World premiere: December 27, 1919, at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York The opera recounts the search of Mytyl and Tyltyl, a woodcutter’s children, for the Blue Bird of Happiness. Aided by a green cup with a magic diamond on it - given to Tyltyl on Christmas Eve by the Fairy Berylune - the children visit The Land of Memory, The Palace of Night, The Garden of Happiness, The Cemetery, and The Kingdom of the Future, before awakening Christmas morning in their own cottage, their dream world vanished. Mefistofele, 1920 Opera in four acts Music: A. Boito Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Revived on November 26, 1920 at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York The familiar story of Faust’s love for Marguerite, and his bargain with Mefistofele, is intertwined with the complex philosophical themes of Goethe’s Faust. The Love for Three Oranges Comic opera in four acts based on the comedy by Carlo Goldoni Music: S. Prokofiev Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld The world premiere: December 30, 1921 at the Civic Opera, Chicago The opera begins with attempts to make the son of the King of Clubs laugh in order to cure his hypochondria. Leandro, the Prime Minister, and Princess Clarissa, the King’s niece, would like to thwart a cure, hoping to rule instead of the prince. The prince is protected by Magician Tchelio, and Leandro by the witch Fata Morgana. After Fata Morgana unwillingly causes the Prince to laugh, she places a curse upon him, pronouncing that he will fall in love with three oranges and will pursue them to the ends of the earth. After many adventures, the Prince returns to reign with Ninetta, one of the three Princesses imprisoned in the oranges. The traitors, unmasked, are rescued from hanging by Fata Morgana, who whisks them through a trapdoor. Snegourotchka (The Snow Maiden) Opera by N. Rimsky-Korsakov (1880) based on a play by Alexander N. Ostrovsky and derived from a Russian folktale Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld United States Premiere: January 23, 1922 at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York Snegourotchka, the daughter of fairy Spring and King Winter, is unable to return the love of the wealthy youth, Misguir. She appeals to her mother and her wish to be able to love Misgir is granted. But Snegourotchka, a personification of the late, cold winter, melts when the sun-god warms her heart. Misgir, in despair throws himself into the lake. The Tzar interprets their deaths as a sign that Yarilo, the sun-god, will no longer withhold his blessings from the Kingdom. The King of Lahore (Le Roi de Lahore) Four-act opera based on a Hindu epic Music: J. Massenet Libretto: L. Gallet Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Metropolitan Opera Premiere: 29 February, 1924 Alim, King of Lahore, loves Sita, niece of the high priest Timour, and wishes to marry her. However, Alim’s minister and treacherous rival, Scindia, falsely accuses Sita of having a lover, and she is condemned to die. During a battle with Sultan Mahmud, Scindia murders Alim, but the God Indra allows Alim to return to earth disguised as a beggar. He is recognized by Sita in a temple where she awaits marriage to Scindia, now the King of Lahore. Sita, unwilling to part with Alim, kills herself, and the lovers are united by Indra in death. Aziade Ballet Music: J. Giutel Choreography: M. Mordkin Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Production: Mikhail Mordkin Russian Ballet Company Ballet choreographed for the Philadelphia opening of Mordkin’s American tour, Sept. 1926 The ballet was based on a fantasy from The Thousand and One Nights concerning the love of Sheik Hussein for Aziade, the free daughter of the desert. Carnival Ballet Music: F. Liszt, A. Glazounov, M. Glinka, M. Moussorgsky, A. Scriabin, A. Tcherepnin, and others Choreography: M. Mordkin Scenery and costumes: B. Anisfeld Production: Mikhail Mordkin Russian Ballet Company Ballet choreographed for the Philadelphia opening of Mordkin’s American tour, September 1926 The ballet is a series of dances featuring the classic characters of the commedia dell’arte: Pierrot, Pierretta, Colombine, and Harlequin. Turandot Opera in 3 acts by G. Puccini, completed by F. Alfano Libretto: G. Adami and R. Simoni (based on a text by C. Gozzi) Sets and costumes: B. Anisfeld Commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera House in 1926, but not performed Turandot, the cruel Chinese Princess, will marry only the suitor who can successfully solve three riddles. Failure to do so results in death. Calaf answers the three riddles, but declares that he will accept death if the princess can guess his name. His wooing melts her heart, and she agrees to marry him. Calaf had chosen the word “Love” for his name. |