1834 ballet-pantomime
Chao-Kang is a French ballet-pantomime created in 1834 and performed in Paris during the Romantic period.
Background
Chao-Kang was directed by French choreographer Louis Henry with music arranged by Italian composer Luigi Carlini. Henry authored the work and developed the choreography.[1] The ballet, presented in three acts, was in the pantomime genre and concluded with an epilogue by Louis Henry.[2] Henry appears to have undertaken a detailed study of the customs and ways of life among China's people.[2]
On 16 October 1834, Chao-Kang was premiered at the Théâtre Nautique, with Louis Henry in the title role and Madame Laurent as Chao-Kang's fiancée.[3] The cast also featured Louis-François Gosselin as Han-Tsou and Télémaque, a dancer, in the role of a young Mandarin.[4] The set and costume design drew inspiration from Ancient China and the Xia dynasty, recognized as China's first recorded dynasty.
Roles
| Role
|
Première cast, 16 October 1834
(Cast member: - )
|
| Chao Kang
|
Louis Henry
|
| Chao Kang's fiancee
|
Madame Laurent
|
| Han-Tsou
|
Louis-François Gosselin
|
| Young Mandarin
|
Télémaque
|
| Old Mandarin
|
Laurent
|
Synopsis
The ballet combines moral and political themes, celebrating the triumph of rightful rule over usurpation.[2] Chao-Kang follows the story of Chao Kang, the son of the dethroned Tai Kang of the Yu dynasty. The antagonist is a wealthy Chinese lord who, despite controlling vast provinces and treasures, desires the crown. Lacking the bravery to win it in battle, he seizes it deceitfully, forcing the emperor into exile.[2] After his mother, Empress Ming, escapes a massacre, she raises him in hiding as a shepherd boy. When his identity is discovered, the governor seeks to restore him to the throne. At 30, Chao Kang leads a successful conspiracy against the usurper, restoring him as the legitimate ruler.[5] As punishment, the illegitimate ruler is publicly displayed in an iron cage to the people's satisfaction.[2]
References
- ^ Gazette musicale de Paris. (1835). France: Gazette.
- ^ a b c d e La mode de Paris. (1834). France: Éversat.
- ^ Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. "(still image) Costume de Mme. Laurent, rôle de la Fiancée, dans Chao-King. Ballet, (1834)". The New York Public Library, Astor, Lenox, and Tilden Foundations. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
- ^ Chao-Kang - Spectacle - 1834. (n.d.). data.bnf.fr. https://data.bnf.fr/fr/ark:/12148/cb396847753
- ^ Interlude, & Interlude. (2019, January 17). Chinoiserie in Motion: Chao Kang. Interlude HK Limited. https://interlude.hk/chinoiserie-motion-chao-kang/
.jpg)
