The Symbolism of Historical Dances in the Music of Tchaikovsky's Ballet Sleeping Beauty

The music of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty has long played a significant role in the success of ballet. In addition to spectacular scenes, solos, and duets, the work of the Russian composer also includes historical dances, such as the archaic sarabande, an unusual choice for a 19th century Romantic composer. In the first half of this paper, I will provide a brief historical overview of the role of the suite in Tchaikovsky’s compositions before attempting to answer the question of whether his œuvre contains antecedents for the various dances, particularly the Sarabande in Sleeping Beauty. For Rudolf Nureyev, one of the greatest ballet artists of all time, Sleeping Beauty accompanied him throughout his creative career. He danced many of its characters, with one of his favourite roles being that of Prince Désiré; as a choreographer, he staged the production no less than seven times. Nureyev understood the dramaturgical significance of the Sarabande and, unlike many directors from the 19th through the 21st century, did not omit the dance from his choreographies.