Ballet “Seasons” (1900) as an example of Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov’s symphonic work.

Abstract

The article deals with Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov’s ballet “The Seasons” as an example of the composer’s symphonic work. “The Seasons” is a one-act ballet written by Alexander Konstantinovich Glazunov and commissioned by the Directorate of the Imperial Theaters for the newly opened Hermitage Theater. The premiere took place on February 7, 1900. The idea of the ballet “Les saisons” (The Seasons) belonged to Ivan Vsevolozhsky. The scriptwriter and choreographer was a famous French choreographer Marius Ivanovich Petipa (1818-1910). The article indicates various opinions of critics and musicologists about Glazunov’s ballet, such as M.A. Ganina, B.V. Asafiev, as well as the statements of other composers: P.I. Tchaikovsky, N.A. Rimsky-Korsakov. Indeed, the ballet “The Seasons” is one of the composer’s brightest which worthy of its place in the repertoire of many theaters. At present, the music for the ballet is more often performed in concert rather than choreographed.