19^th having flourished for the last time.
 
All the later editions of Raymonda are in one way or another based on the choreographic painting created by Marius Petipa. Nowadays, when the ballet Raymonda is a world renowned masterpiece, ballet fans can hardly get any notion of the difficulties encountered by the composer. Marius Petipa put Ilya Glazunov in such a tight frame that he had to compose some scenes with exact observation of a certain rhythm. In spite of the fact, the music of Raymonda has become an outstanding achievement of the Russian composing art. It combines melody and drama, contrasts "European" and "oriental" intonations, folk scenes and highly lyrical sensual episodes. All the main characters, as well as some minor ones, have their own musical characteristic - the leitmotif, the fact also testifying to the composer's outstanding mastery. Fragments of choreography by Marius Petipa and Alexander Gorsky are used in the choreography version of 2003 by Yuri Grigorovich as well.
 
Storyline of Raymonda:
Act I
Young Raymonda is engaged to Knight Jean de Brien. The knight is at the castle to bid farewell to his bride. He has to go on a campaign headed by Andrew II, the King of Hungary. Raymonda says goodbye to the groom, and he leaves.
At night Raymonda dreams of a magic garden where she is with her beloved Jean de Brienne. Suddenly, he disappears. Instead, Raymonda sees a strange Oriental knight who turns to her with a passionate declaration of love. Shocked Raymonda faints away. The mirage disappears. At the dawn, Raymonda guesses that her dream was prophetic.
Act II
There is dancing party in the Castle of Doris. Among the guests there is the Saracen Knight Abderahman accompanied with a rich enormous escort. Raymonda is fear-stricken as she recognizes the mysterious stranger from her nightmare in him. Abderrahman proposes to Raymonda with the promise of great power and wealth but she rejects the uninvited bridegroom. Enraged, he attempts to kidnap her.
Suddenly, there appear the knights who have just returned from the campaign. Jean de Brienne is among them.
King Andrew II commands Jean de Brien and Abderrahman to try their fate in an honest duel. Jean de Brien defeats Abderrahman and so the lovers get reunited.
Act III
King Andrew II gives his blessings to Raymonda and Jean de Brien. In honor of the King of Hungary, the wedding celebration is crowned with a grand Hungarian dance.
When: June 30 and July 1, 2018
Where: the Bolshoy Theater at the address 1, Theater Square, next to Okhotny Ryad and Teatralnaya metro stations, Moscow.