LA SYLPHIDE

La Sylphide is considered the romantic ballet classic par excellence. This two-act work by Filippo Taglioni, in which the dancers embodied the illusion of weightlessness as aerial spirits, not only marked the breakthrough of pointe dance in the 1830s; together with the white tutus of the ghostly creatures, an image of this art form was created that still symbolises classical dance today. In 1972, Pierre Lacotte, who died in 2023, staged his reconstruction of the work at the Paris Opera. In order to come as close as possible to the traditional Romantic ideals and the style of Filippo Taglioni, Lacotte studied historical images and records intensively. Lacotte's version differs from August Bournonville's version, in that it is characterised by a movement language influenced by the French school. In addition, Lacotte's version is musically based on the original score by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer.

The sylphs are mythical creatures that have their home in the Scottish Highlands. As fragile spirits, they are the perfect stage characters to stylise the ballerinas as ethereal and ephemeral beings in the Romantic sense. The title character of La Sylphide ensures that the protagonist James falls unhappily in love with her, loses touch with reality and ultimately perishes. The ballet tells of the distorted image of a love that cannot be achieved in this world.