Harold in Italy
One of two backdrops for Harold in Italy
The Ballet Russe Collection
Ballet in 4 movements choreographed by Leonide Massine.
Music by Hector Berlioz.
Decor by Bernard Lamotte.
Premiere: Boston, October 14, 1954, by the Ballet Russe de Monte
Carlo.
"The ballet follows closely the programme of Berlioz' symphony
[of the same title] which itself received inspiration from Byron's
Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.
Horst Koegler, The Concise Oxford Dictionary of
Ballet
"[Massine] follows the programmatic suggestions made by Berlioz
himself. In the first movement Harold, the contemplative poet,
observes the swirl of life around him; the second is a pilgrims'
march (Massine achieving grotesque effects by contrasting the grave
pilgrims with the antics of a carping Simpleton); the third, a
country idyll; and the last, by universal agreement the weakest
choreographically, an attack by a band of brigands."
Jack Anderson, The One and Only: The Ballet Russe de Monte
Carlo
Two backdrops are in the collection, untagged as to which
movement it may have belonged to, and one of which being
unfortunately heavily stained, and only three legs.
Below are pictures of the other backdrop and of the set of legs,
as well as a reconstructed image with one backdrop and the three
legs.
Mountain scene
Mountain drop with set of three legs (reconstructed
image)
Legs alone