Les Orientales ballet by Arensky, Glazunov, Grieg & SindingStravinsky: The Firebird
Les Siècles, François-Xavier Roth
After the success of the Paris season of the Ballets Russes in 1909, Serge Diaghilev commissioned Stravinsky for a ballet inspired by the traditional Russian tale, 'The Firebird'. On 18 May 1910, the score was completed and on 25 June of the same year, the ballet was performed to great acclaim at the Opéra de Paris.
Thanks to his bewitching composition, Rimsky-Korsakov’s young pupil, then aged 27, was cast into the spotlight of the international music scene. In 19 scenes, the ballet tells the story of Ivan Tsarevich, the young prince who sets out in search of the firebird and ends up captive in the enchanted garden of Kashchei the Immortal… Deploying string and wind instruments crafted in French workshops, gut strings, and a playing style straight out of Conservatoire de Paris master classes, the Ballets Russes orchestra was, above all, a French affair.
A century later, Les Siècles and François-Xavier Roth have reconstituted the orchestra which accompanied the Ballets Russes in 1910, and, assisted by the musicologist François Dru, they have also reconstructed 'Les Orientales', which was first performed 25 June 1910 as a prelude to 'The Firebird'.
This composite ballet combines various different works from the 19th century, with in particular, compositions by Glazunov, Sinding, Arensky and Grieg. The orchestrations of 'Djinn' by Grieg and 'Danse Orientale' by Sinding have been created, respectively by Bruno Mantovani and Charlie Piper.
“This is a fascinating recording...The Firebird is the undoubted star of this show, and its orchestral plumage is subtly different here from other performances. Surprisingly, perhaps, this is more apparent with the strings than the wind, even though the timbre of the latter is distinctive...Roth drives the music with a sure touch for dramatic pacing to ensure that it's more magical Firebird than undercooked turkey.” BBC Music Magazine
“An intriguing concept recreates the 1910 premiere concert of arguably Stravinsky's first masterpiece, with crack period band Les Siecles sounding especially vivid.” Classical Music
“This is fabulous: young French musicians performing Stravinsky’s ballet on period instruments similar to those used by the Ballets Russes orchestra at the 1910 premiere in Paris. But it’s no dusty academic exercise. Under François-Xavier, Roth’s scintillating direction the playing is breathtakingly virtuosic and the timbres produced by the narrow-bore brass and antique woodwinds is entrancing.” The Times
Actes Sud - ASM06
