Dates

This performance was to be seen in Apr 2022

Location

Dutch National Opera & Ballet, Auditorium

Running time

2:40, incl. 2 intermissions

Tickets

Not available

Raymonda

The ultimate ballet classic, now in the Netherlands!

In season 2023/2024, Dutch National Ballet will perform Raymonda again. More information and tickets can be found via the link below.

Raymonda in season 2023/2024 

For the first time in the Netherlands, we are presenting our very own production of Marius Petipa’s legendary ballet Raymonda a model of classical ballet technique, famed for its wonderful character dances. Associate artistic director Rachel Beaujean – assisted by a team that includes Ted Brandsen and Grigori Tchitcherine – has created a brand-new version of this Russian masterpiece. Its choreographic splendour will be retained, but the story will have an exciting new twist.

A new large-scale production of a famous ballet classic

Raymonda was Marius Petipa’s last big hit. He was the most important choreographer of nineteenth century tsarist ballet, whose prowess is still extolled today. He created a vast array of great classics such as La Bayadère, Don Quixote, The Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker and Swan Lake. The ballet Raymonda brings together and showcases all of Petipa's ingenuity, expertise and craftsmanship. Created in 1898 in close collaboration with the composer Alexander Glazunov, Raymonda was Petipa’s magnum opus that would forever shape our definition of classical ballet.

 

 

MAKES HER OWN DECISIONS ABOUT HER LOVE LIFE

In this version of Raymonda, Rachel Beaujean wanted to showcase the choreographic jewels Petipa created for this ballet classic in all their glory. Yet, she also wanted these jewels to have ‘a crown and setting that are relevant to the present day’. This meant she made some substantial changes to the original libretto by Lydia Pashkova. Thus, whereas Pashkova’s storyline presents the Hungarian grand duchess as rather submissive – agreeing to wed her predestined marriage partner the crusader Jean de Brienne, Beaujean’s version portrays Raymonda as a young woman who makes her own decisions about her love life.

 

Dreamy atmosphere

Frenchman Jérôme Kaplan, who has received acclaim ​at Dutch National Ballet for his beautiful sets and costumes for Alexei Ratmansky’s Don Quixote, will take on the role of set and costume designer for this new production of Raymonda. His imaginative sets and elegant, chic and extremely colourful costumes evoke a dreamy atmosphere of mediaeval castles in the Provence and Hungary. 

Credits

Choreography  Marius Petipa

Production, concept and additional choreography  Rachel Beaujean

Music  Aleksandr Glazoenov

Costume and set design  Jérôme Kaplan

Lighting design James F. Ingalls 

Assistant for research, production development and Mazurka, Pas Hongrois and Romanesca rehearsals  Grigori Tchitcherine

Fight choreography  Youval Kuipers

Music preparation and supervision  Boris Gruzin

Musical advice  Matthew Rowe, Olga Khoziainova

Music engraving and editing  Lars Payne

Dramaturgic advice  Janine Brogt

Grand Pas Classique rehearsals  Guillaume Graffin, Larissa Lezhnina

Ballet masters  Larissa Lezhnina, Guillaume Graffin, Judy Maelor Thomas, Charlotte Chapellier, Sandrine Leroy, Jozef Varga

With cooperation of  students and pupils of the Dutch National Ballet Academy

Rehearsals and guidance ballet students  Dario Elia, Amanda Beck

Musical accompaniment  Dutch National Ballet Orchestra conducted by Vello Pähn

 

Raymonda
Scene Raymonda | Photo: Altin Kaftira
Raymonda
Scene Raymonda | Photo: Altin Kaftira
Raymonda
Scene Raymonda | Photo: Altin Kaftira
Raymonda
Scene Raymonda | Photo: Altin Kaftira
Raymonda
Scene Raymonda | Photo: Altin Kaftira
In the media
Rave reviews

Everything came together in perfect balance in this magnificent production of Raymonda, from the glorious music to the exceptional dancers

4 April

With its innovative choreography, stunning sets and spectacular performances, this production is a gem to be treasured in the company’s repertoire.

4 April

When it comes to 'refreshing' classics, Dutch National Opera & Ballet reaches a new peak with Raymonda.

12 April

Pure magic happens when you bring Makhateli and Young (Abd al-Rahman) on stage together. They don't just dance, they breathe dance and do so with such conviction and passion that the fun really springs from it.

8 April

(...) in the meantime, Beaujean and her team have delivered a valuable piece of repertoire that Dutch National Ballet can can be proud of and that a broad contemporary audience can enjoy (...).

4 April

With this Raymonda, Dutch National Ballet shows that the company belongs to the absolute world top.

7 April

The Making of Raymonda #1

The Making of Raymonda #1

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The Making of Raymonda

Raymonda - podcast part 1

In this first introductory podcast (in Dutch) about Raymonda, Astrid van Leeuwen talks to associate artistic director Rachel Beaujean about her re-interpretation of this famous masterpiece by Marius Petipa. She discusses all the research involved in this process and the challenges it posed. Rachel jokes: “I have been pregnant with this ‘child’ for four years. It's driving everyone at home crazy. There is only this one thing that counts at the moment: Raymonda, Raymonda, Raymonda.”

Raymonda - podcast part 2

In this second podcast (in English) about Raymonda, Astrid van Leeuwen talks to principals Maia Makhateli and Young Gyu Choi about their lead roles in this new full-length production by Dutch National Ballet. Maia: “Running a marathon is nothing compared to dancing the role of Raymonda.”

Click on the link below to be the first to receive updates on the brand new ballet production Raymonda.

Watch the trailer

Raymonda thumbnail
Maia Makhateli

‘I am really looking forward to my debut as Raymonda’

Principal dancer Maia Makhateli:

“Raymonda is one of the purest of all the classical ballets and therefore one of my absolute favourites. We’ve already been working on it throughout the past corona year. Rachel is keeping the style and choreography, but adding changes to make it more relevant to today. The production is going to be magnificent and I’m really looking forward to this Dutch premiere.”

Read more about Raymonda

What do you do nowadays with a story about a frail princess who is saved from bloodthirsty Saracens by courtly knights? Read Trouw's article (in Dutch) about Raymonda here. 

Balletorkest

Dutch National Ballet Orchestra

conducted by Vello Pähn

This orchestra has proudly accompanied its partners, Dutch National Ballet and Nederlands Dans Theater, since its inception in 1965. This form of collaboration is unique in the Netherlands.

Dutch Ballet Orchestra

Dutch Ballet Orchestra is made up of 45 orchestra members, led by chief conductor Matthew Rowe. It is augmented by highly qualified guest performers whenever this is necessary. This gives the orchestra its unique flexible and dynamic character and its high-quality sound.

More about Dutch Ballet Orchestra

With thanks to | Partner Raymonda

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