The Term of “Interpretation” in Ballet Theory and the Criterion of Artistic Value of Choreographic Interpretation

Abstract

The phenomenon of classical art interpretation has become an integral part of the present-day cultural reality. By now, the term “interpretation” has come into general use in different sciences, including art, theater, and music studies. However, this fundamental term of the postmodern paradigm has not yet been presented in ballet studies. This article offers the term’s definition regarding the ballet theater. For this purpose, after a review of the interpretation’s definitions in various disciplines, the author uncovers the connection between the most popular in modern ballet studies, though scientifically unformalized yet, explanation of the term “interpretation” and all the previous theoretical conceptions. The author finds the definition of the ballet interpretation, basing on the specific interaction between the script (program, libretto) and the music score in ballet. In contrast to the previous theoretical concepts, the script component is considered variable. The modern aesthetics of postmodernism tends to reconsider the meaning of original sources and can often alter their value systems. For this reason, the article offers a criterion of artistic quality assessment of the choreographic interpretations of ballet scores based on the degree of nearness of the choreography to the expressional, structural, and stylistic features of the score. This criterion helps to separate ballet performances from plastic experiments. The criterion is exemplified by three versions of the ballet score “Svadebka” (“Les Noces”) by Igor Stravinsky.