"Fanfare" pour précéder "La Péri"

The dance poem La Peri was his last major work, barely saved from the fire at the insistence of his friends. It was based on an idea by Sergei Diaghilev for one of the most celebrated contemporary dance companies formed by the impresario, Ballets Russes, the Russian Ballet. The plot is based on the Persian legend of Prince Iskander, who seeks the flower of immortality and falls in love with the fairy Peri, its guardian. The production of La Peri was created for the star Vaslav Nijinsky. Natalia Trouhanowa was offered for the role of the mystical fairy Duka. Diaghilev turned down the project. Then Natalia Trouhanowa decided to embody the idea, the composer gratefully dedicated the score to her. He entrusted the choreography to Ivan Clustine, the sets and costumes were designed by René Pio. The premiere took place on 22 April 1912 at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris with the Lamoureux Orchestra conducted by the composer. The main roles in the mimodrama were played by Natalia Trouhanowa and Alfred Bekefi. The critics proclaimed Duka's creation a masterpiece. Especially for the stage production of La Peri, the composer wrote a prelude for brass instruments - the brilliant Fanfare in a neoclassical spirit. These are often performed as a stand-alone piece.