Ballet ( Music for Theatre )

Ballet

Ballet tells a story using music and dance.There are no spoken words,so the music is very descriptive and the dancers use their movements to tell the story.The first ballets were performaed in private.Wealthy noblemen arranged evenings of entertainment in their homes,in which performers sang,danced and recited poetry.

Ballet Theater
A scene in “The Nutcracker”

The most popular ballets in this style Tchaikovsky.

The dances grandually became the most important past,and the performers instead of singing or reciting words.The first ballet to be shown in a public theatre was staged in 1581 in France.
At first,dancers chose any music to perform to.It was not necessrily dance music.Since the eartist times,music has been a very important part of theatricalperformances.Musicis often added to plays to make them more interting.Sometimes musicians accompany singing and dancing on stage,but music can also be used to emphasize the mood of the play,rather like film or televistion music.

Acting,singing and dancing have always been closely linked.In ancient Greek and Roman times,some actors used to mime the story (act without speaking)while music was played.Later,composers began to write music to go with plays and religous stories.Gradually,two special kinds of theatre music developed.One,Opera,is based on singing.The other,ballet,is based on dancing.

Tchaikovsky,composers

Later,composers such as lully began to write music specially for the ballet.Someone slse worked out the dance steps.The person who arramges the dances is called the choreographer.
Ballet stories are very imaginative.Some are based on fairy tales, like the ballets of Delibes and Tchaikovsky.Two of the most popular ballets in this style are Tchaikovsky'sThe Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty.Other ballets are based on plays or books.and can be sad or romantic.

Imformation :Book name,Learn to Play more easy piano classics by caroline phipps
(ISBN 0-7460-1698-0)