Les Millions d'Arléquin

Musique de Richard Drigo
© 1901 by Jul.Heinr. Zimmermann, Leipzig

In 1899 Petipa began work on the scenario for a ballet based on episodes from the Italian commedia dell'arte, which he called Les Millions d'Arléquin (The Millions of Harlequin). The ballet premiered at the Imperial Theatre of the Hermitage on 23 February [O.S. 10 February] 1900 with Mathilde Kschessinska in the role of Columbine and the danseur Gyorgy Kyaksht in the role of Harlequin. The audience included the Emperor and Empress as well as the whole of the Imperial court. Within moments of the final curtain, the typically subdued courtly audience erupted into thunderous applause. The composer received a tumultuous reception as he went before the curtain and was mobbed by several Grand Dukes who tripped over one another in their enthusiasm to congratulate him for his music.

Due to her delight in Drigo's score, the Empress commanded two additional court performances of Les Millions d'Arléquin on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, the first given on 26 February [O.S. 13 February] 1900. When plans were under way to publish Drigo's score in piano reduction by the publisher Zimmermann, many of Drigo's colleagues urged the composer to dedicate his score to the Empress. Drigo's request was then submitted to the Minister of the Imperial Court, which brought about a lengthy correspondence by a commission set up to investigate whether or not Drigo's character, background and music were worthy of his offering a dedication to a Russian Empress. The response was favorable and the dedication was graciously accepted.

sequence by James Pitt-Payne, London UK, 2019
in association with Veda Meyer-Castens
Score thanks to Torquil Syme