Raymonda

  Ballet in three Acts.
  Libretto by Yuri Grigorovich after scenario by Lidia Pashkova, based on medieval knights’ legends.
  Duration approx. 2 hrs 35 min. – 1 interval

Music Director:	Pavel Sorokin	Lighting Designer:	Mikhail Sokolov

Set Designer:	Simon Virsaladze	Assistant Choreographer:

With the Orchestra of the Bolshoi State Theatre and the Bolshoi soloists and the Bolshoi Corps de Ballet

Venues & Booking

To a lush exotic score by Alexander Glazunov , Raymonda tells the tale of a French noblewoman betrothed to a Crusader Knight , and her attempted abduction by a spurned Saracen rival for her affections.

SUMMARY
Raymonda has said farewell to her betrothed Knight as he leaves on the crusades. Subsequently a saracen knight appears at a royal event and makes a terrifying declaration of love to her. Rejected, he attempts to abduct her, but is foiled by the return of her betrothed, who defeats his rival in single combat. The Ballet ends with the famous celebratory Hungarian dance in honour of the Hungarian King.

DETAILED SYNOPSIS
Act I
Raymonda, the niece of the Countess Sybil de Daurice, a French noblewoman, is betrothed to Jean de Brienne. De Brienne arrives at the castle. He has come to bid farewell to Raymonda before leaving to go on a crusade led by the King of Hungary, Andrei II.

Raymonda says goodbye to her beloved and the knight leaves the castle.
Night-time. Raymonda is carried into the enchanted garden of dreams. In her dreams Raymonda sees Jean de Brienne. The happy lovers are together again.

Suddenly Jean de Brienne disappears. In his place Raymonda sees an Eastern knight whom she does not know. He confronts her with a passionate declaration of his love. Raymonda is deeply perturbed and falls unconscious to the ground. The mirage vanishes.

Dawn breaks. Raymonda decides that the vision she had in the night is an omen.

Act II
Festivities are underway at the Dayrice castle.
Among the guests is the Saracen knight, Abderakhman, accompanied by a magnificent suite. Raymonda recognizes him to be the mysterious stranger of her dream. She is terrified.
Abderakhman offers Raymonda power and riches in return for her hand and heart. Raymonda rejects Abderakhman. Enraged, Abderakhman tries to abduct her.
Suddenly knights appear. They have returned from the crusade. Jean de Brienne is among them.
King Andrei II suggests that Jean de Brienne and Abderakhman settle their differences in single combat. Jean de Brienne gets the better of Abderakhman. The lovers are united.

Act III
King Andrei II blesses the marriage of Raymonda and Jean de Brienne. In honour of the King of Hungary, the wedding festivities are concluded by a big Hungarian dance.