Adam: Orfa

Featuring

Dario Salvi
Kalina Hristova
Vesela Tritchkova
Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra
Adolphe Charles Adam

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Composer Biography

Adolphe Adam, famous for his Christmas carol "Cantique de Noël" and the ballet "Giselle," composed 14 ballets, with "Orfa" being his 13th.

Composition History

The ballet "Orfa" premiered on December 29, 1852, at the Paris Opéra and had a successful run of 51 performances until 1860.

Compositional Technique

The score of "Orfa" features sensitive writing for solo violin and harp, and terrific brass playing, especially in the last act where cornets are used melodically and harmonically.

Performer Biography

Lucien Petipa, a famous dancer, choreographer, and ballet master, created the role of Lodbrog in "Orfa" and was one of the great figures of Romantic ballet.

Composition History

The story of "Orfa," by Henri Trianon and François-Hippolyte Leroy, blends elements from Nordic mythology, similar to Richard Wagner's contemporaneous work on "Der Ring des Nibelungen."

Notable Performances

Fanny Cerrito, the star dancer who originated the role of Orfa, received spontaneous applause at her first entrance, swathed in furs in a sleigh, with her golden hair glinting in the gas-light.

Compositional Technique

Adam's late ballets, including "Orfa" and "Le Corsaire," showcase a new dynamism in his orchestral imagination, using the largest instrumental forces he ever attempted.