The Delft fair
The Delft fair (subtitle: legend from the Breughel era ) is a ballet in three pictures by Sonja Korty (choreography and libretto). The music for this comes from Hermann Reutter . Ludwig Sievert took care of the equipment. It premiered on March 20, 1937 in Baden-Baden as part of the music festival of the International Society for New Music. Sonja Korty, Heinz Denies, Rigo de Ralton and the ensemble of the Städtische Bühnen Frankfurt am Main danced the main roles. A performance lasts around 35 minutes.
people
- The juggler
- Peregrina, his daughter
- The student
- The mayor
- His daughter
- Three judges
- Two executioners
- Students, Flemish people, youth ( Corps de ballet )
action
First picture: Delft market square
The people celebrate the parish fair and enjoy the rough dances. The mayor appears, accompanied by his daughter and her fiancé. The students of the groom begin to dance. After a while, a strange group of jugglers draws the attention of the Delfters. Their leader amazes the people with skillful acrobatics . After he has finished his tricks, he announces his daughter Peregrina. This one dances to music that contrasts strongly with the previous one. The fiancé of the mayor's daughter is so fascinated by the girl that he gives her money. Then Peregrina asks him to dance with her. While the beautiful is swaying in his arms, they both fall in love with each other. Angry with jealousy, the mayor's daughter follows the events and incites the people against the foreigners. The mayor has her arrested.
Second picture: underground vault
After three judges have passed the death sentence on Peregrina in a quick trial, she is overcome by a vision: the walls of the vault take on human form, first enclose them ( Passacaglia ), and then open the way to freedom for her. However, she has to realize that it was all just a dream. Two executioners seize Peregrina and lead her outside to the pyre.
Third picture: Place of execution
The people long to see the strangers burn. She is tied to the stake. Then the executioners kindle the fire. Suddenly the student pushes through the wall and takes on the executors. After defeating her, he jumps to his lover on the stake. The snow that now sets in extinguishes the fire. The couple descend from the stake and are marveled at by the people. Nobody dares to lay hands on them anymore. A dance can be heard from the orchestra, which is getting faster and faster and conveys both joy and zest for life.
literature
Otto Friedrich Regner and Heinz-Ludwig Schneiders: Reclams Ballettführer , 8th edition, Stuttgart 1980, ISBN 3-15-008042-8