La Sylphide

Choreography Pierre Lacotte nach Filippo Taglioni. Music Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer, Ludwig Wilhelm Maurer.

Ballet in two acts
recommended for 8 years and older

Duration est. 0 hours 54 minutes

Duration 
Act 1: 55 minutes
Interval: 35 minutes
Act 2: 50 minutes

There will be a pre-performance talk in German of about 20 minutes’ length, one hour before the beginning of each performance, except for the opening night on Novemer 22, 2024. The talk takes place in the vestibule facing the Royal Box, on the «1. Rang» tier. Seating is very limited. 

La Sylphide is considered the romantic ballet classic par excellence. This two-act work by Filippo Taglioni, in which the dancers embodied the illusion of weightlessness as aerial spirits, not only marked the breakthrough of pointe dance in the 1830s; together with the white tutus of the ghostly creatures, an image of this art form was created that still symbolises classical dance today. In 1972, Pierre Lacotte, who died in 2023, staged his reconstruction of the work at the Paris Opera. In order to come as close as possible to the traditional Romantic ideals and the style of Filippo Taglioni, Lacotte studied historical images and records intensively. Lacotte's version differs from August Bournonville's version, in that it is characterised by a movement language influenced by the French school. In addition, Lacotte's version is musically based on the original score by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer.

The set design by Pierre Ciceri was created under the direction of Andrea Hajek for the Bavarian State Ballet and produced in the workshops of the Bavarian State Opera. The costumes were also made in the workshops of the Bavarian State Opera.

Topic

The sylphs are mythical creatures that have their home in the Scottish Highlands. As fragile spirits, they are the perfect stage characters to stylise the ballerinas as ethereal and ephemeral beings in the Romantic sense. The title character of La Sylphide ensures that the protagonist James falls unhappily in love with her, loses touch with reality and ultimately perishes. The ballet tells of the distorted image of a love that cannot be achieved in this world.

Program and cast

Conductor: David Garforth

Choreography after Filippo Taglioni: Pierre Lacotte

Libretto: Adolphe Nourrit

Music: Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer, Ludwig Wilhelm Maurer

Stage Designer: Pierre Ciceri

Lighting: Christian Kass

Costume Designer: Eugène Lami

Sylphide: N.N.

James: N.N.

Effie: N.N.

Madge, die Hexe: N.N.

Gurn: N.N.

Ensemble of the Bayerisches Staatsballett

Bayerisches Staatsorchester