Scheherazade, composed in 1888 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, is one of the most beloved works in the Russian classical repertoire. Under the baton of Aziz Shokhakimov, the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra performs this symphonic suite inspired by One Thousand and One Nights, offering an enchanting journey to the East.
In 1888, Rimsky-Korsakov, then 44 years old, was a leading figure in Saint Petersburg’s musical scene. Interrupting his orchestration of Prince Igor, left unfinished by his late friend Borodin, he swiftly composed Scheherazade, deeply rooted in Orientalist culture and based on the legendary tales of One Thousand and One Nights.
Betrayed by his wife, Sultan Shahryar vows to marry a new woman each evening and have her executed the next morning to prevent further infidelity. Scheherazade, the vizier’s daughter, saves her own life by telling him a story so captivating he delays her execution night after night until he abandons his plan. In the music, Scheherazade is embodied by a solo violin and harp, whose sinuous and seductive lines evoke the charm of the storyteller. Each movement portrays a different episode from the tale.
Premiered in Paris in 1899 at the Concerts Lamoureux, the piece made a strong impression on Debussy and Ravel, who drew inspiration from it for La Mer and Daphnis et Chloé. In 1910, choreographer Michel Fokine adapted it into a ballet performed by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes at the Palais Garnier, a performance that captivated Marcel Proust and echoes in In Search of Lost Time.
Movements:
1. The Sea and Sinbad’s Ship (Largo e maestoso / Allegro non troppo)
2. The Tale of the Kalendar Prince (Lento / Andantino / Allegro molto / Con moto)
3. The Young Prince and the Young Princess (Andantino quasi allegretto / Pochissimo più mosso / Come prima / Pochissimo più animato)
4. Festival at Baghdad / The Sea / The Ship Breaks Against a Cliff Surmounted by a Bronze Horseman (Allegro molto / Vivo / Allegro non troppo maestoso)