Shakespearean plays turned into ballets

Gwen Herat

ALLET: William Shakespeare reinvented English literature and left nothing for imagination for another writer to improve upon. Centuries later, no writer has come within a striking distance to the Bard.

He proved his authority and inspired the English language so that his plays were read over and over again even out of classrooms. Steadfast in his writing, the playwright was also brilliant with his particular identity in prose, sonnets and poetry apart from his plays.

He is the playwright who ranks most as the one whose plays are dramatised and absorbed into ballet. It is unlikely Shakespeare ever had a glimpse as to what ballet was though during his time ballet was taking its early roots in England unaware to many artists. France was the country that stirred ballet and sent the message across to England, centuries ago.

Shakespeare was not the historian of his time and neither did he attempt to conform to the norms of the day. In emotion, he had a wider scope which was exactly suitable for ballet adaption that was denied the use of his brilliant dialogue.

The foreign origin of Shakespeare plots were away from probability and therefore arts and literary critics could not censure him gravely. He was a great mixer of scenes, characters and plots that were difficult for people of the day to comprehend as to what he wrote.

He was a lover of Greek mythology and went beyond its confines. This helped Shakespeare to give their tragedies simple but beautiful shape. We have to understand that his tragedies were, for the most part, not inevitable overwhelming or fore-ordained similar to the tragedies of the Greeks.

Greatness

When writing, shakespeare himself was unaware of his greatness. He fashioned his plots like a sculptor who would not know what the end result would be. Both sculptor and he had the desired results.

But Shakespeare was a great inventor of the classic and the romantic that was to prove inevitable for ballet, the greatest source of inspiration, the fulfilment of each and every choreographer who discovered where his dreams lay.

Thus, we have seen his ballets coming into fusion in a spectacular array of perfection in ten of his much celebrated plays.

Taming of the Shrew

A 2-Act ballet was choreographed by Crank to the music of Scarlatti-Stolze by the Stutgart Ballet with Haidee, Cragun and Hannker. The ballet in principle, followed the plot of Shakespeare's play and was mounted on 16 March, 1969. This was revived for Munich Opera Ballet in 1976 with a new twist by J. Rose and later for the Royal Ballet in 1977. The earlier version by Bejart to the music of Alwyn-Scarlatti was staged in Paris in 1954 and was the best of the lot.

Romeo and Juliet

The favourite of all ballets, this tragic love story was first mounted in Russia as a 3-Act, 13-scene production, choreographed by Lavrosky to the haunting music of Prokofiev in December 1938. The ballet highlights the tragic romance with special emphasis placed in the social conflicts of the two feuding families who finally reconcile over their children's death who as star-crossed lovers sacrifice their lives for each other.

The same track by Prokofiev used for the Russian version became the role model for future ballets. A magnificent version for the Kirov Theatre in leningrad with Ulanova and Sergeyev as Romeo and Juliet, was again revived for the Bolshoi in 1946.

Still later in 1954 for a British film, it was choreographed by Vinogradov. There was no looking back for this ballet as it gained speed with all companies around the world, mounting it with their star dancers in the title roles.

Choreographed by Balanchine who opted the ballet to be in 3-Acts and 6 Scenes with music by Mendolssohn, it was mounted on January 17, 1962 for the New York City Ballet. The ballet follows closely Shakespeare's fairy tale when he did the same version, supervising it for a super, spectacular film in 1967.

Other ballets that used the same music of Mendolssohn were by M. Petima in 1877, Fokine in 1902 and both were mounted at St. Petersburg. Ashton did his version in 1964. Neumeier-Hambur in 1977 while Warren went for it 1981 at Manchester. They and others retained the music track of Mendolssohn which was lilting and dreamy for a fairy tale.

Another favourite Shakespeare tragedy among choreographers, it was first seen in Vienna in 1788. The first major full-length ballet was choreographed by Helpmann to the music on Tchaikovsky on 19 May 1942 for the Sadler's Ballet. In the same year, Helpmann repeated it for the New Theatre in London, dancing the title role with Fonteyn as Ophelia. They were joined by Franca and Paltenghi.

Hamlet

Based on Shakespeare's tragedy, the ballet gave a new look for the story through Helpmann's brilliant conception of what was going through Hamlet's mind when he was dying. It flashbacked some of the climatic events of his life. Hamlet was revived over and over again with leading dancers like Sergeyev, Helpmann, Nijinska, Nureyev etc. in the title role. The line up for this ballet started in 1788.

Merry Wives of Windsor

Vindzorskiev Prokazntzy was the original title given to the Merry Wives of Windsor when it was mounted in Russia for the first time. The ballet was in 3 Acts and 7 Scenes, choreographed by Bournmester and Karilov to the music of Oransky on 10 June, 1942.

This version was followed by another ballet, produced by Stranislavsky and Nemivovich-Danchenko at Moscow with Kurilov playing the mischevous Falstaff. Later many versions were danced around the USSR and was in the repertory of the Russian companies after 1994.

Much Ado About Nothing

Much like the title, there was not much enthusiasm by choreographers to mount this ballet except the one in 1976 in Moscow. It was choreographed by V. Boccadoro and mounted in Moscow. The short and excerpted ballet was not a success and I cannot recall any other ballet done lately on this play.

Othello

Choregraphed by Chaboukiani to the music of A. Machavariani and was debutted at the Opera House, Tiflis. The main dancers were Chaboukiani with Vera Tsignadze.

Othello in 4 Acts never deviated from the main play though it was complexed and a difficult plot to handle. This same ballet was repeated at the Kirov Theatre in 1960. In the same year, the Tiflis production was filmed.

Macbeth

This macabre play has influenced and inspired many choreographers because of its visual brilliance though sans dialogue. A powerful story induced different versions as each choreographer saw it as a challenge because of the versatility of the plot.

The first production in 1785 to the music of Lock was in London. Galanti did his own interpretation to the scores of Schall in 1816 at Copenhagen. Other versions were seen in 1930 in Milan and 1969 also in Milan while Russian audience saw it Moscow in 1980.

Twelfth Night

Produced by Tudor to the music of Frescobald in London in 1937. Howard did his ballet in 1940 to the music of Greig at Liverpool in 1942. It was obvious that choreographers avoided this play of Shakespeare.

Antony and Cleopatra

Many ballet companies were fascinated at the story of the valiant Egyltian Queen in her love for the Roman General.

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