Dance Appreciation: La Sylphide
- The Ballet Academy
- Jul 2
- 3 min read
The ballet La Sylphide enchants the audience with its blend of supernatural romance, tragic fate, and lyrical movement. It is a romantic ballet, which consists of two acts, capturing a haunting tale of temptation and loss.
Background
La Sylphide first premiered in 1832 at the Salle Le Peletier of the Paris Opéra, choreographed by Filippo Taglioni with music by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer. A second version was created in 1836 by Danish choreographer August Bournonville, set to music by Herman Løvenskiold.
As the original 1832 Paris production has been lost, it is Bournonville’s 1836 Danish version that has become the most widely performed and preserved today.
Characters:
(from left)
James – A young Scottish farmer
Effie – James’ fiancée
Sylph – A mystical spirit of the air
Madge – A witch, village sorceress
Did you know?
La Sylphide was the first full fledged ballet blanc, becoming one of the greatest influences on the Romantic ballet era. This drove the trend of the iconic 'white ballet' aesthetic with dancers in flowing white tulle.
The original La Sylphide was choreographed for Taglioni's daughter, Marie, who became one of the first ballerinas to dance en pointe for expressive purposes beyond the technical ones.
Synopsis
Act I
On the morning of his wedding day, James, a young Scottish farmer, as an enchanting Sylph appears before him. Confused, he speaks to Gurn, his friend who secretly harbours feelings for Effie. James is captivated by the Sylph, but as he tries to chase her, she disappears. However, Gurn has seen nothing.
Meanwhile, guests and friends arrive with Effie, James’ bride to be. James remains distracted, haunted by the image of the Sylph. He gazes longingly towards the spot where she vanished, seeing a shadowy image emerging from the corner. To his surprise, Madge, the old village sorceress appears. Her presence unnerves the guests, and James, who recoils from her ghastly appearance. Effie kindly invites Madge to tell her fortune, where Madge foretells that Effie will marry Gurn, not James. Enraged by the prediction, James drives Madge away. Before she leaves, she places a curse on James.
The wedding festivities resume with dancing and merrymaking. In the midst of the celebration, the Sylph reappears, visible only to James. She snatches the wedding ring meant for Effie and flees into the forest. James runs after the Sylph into the woods, leaving Effie heartbroken.
Act II
Deep in the forest, Madge conjures a magical scarf, enchanted to bind a spirit to earth, but laced with a deadly curse. In another part of the forest, James and the Sylph are together. He follows her deeper into her woodland realm, where she offers him berries and dances with her sister sylphs. However, as James tries to touch or hold her, her essence slips through his fingers.
Meanwhile, villagers search for James. Gurn finds James’ hat in the woods but is convinced by Madge to stay silent. He returns to the village and proposes to Effie, which she finally accepts.
Back in the forest, James yearns to keep the Sylph by his side. Madge appears and offers the scarf, claiming it will allow him to bind the Sylph to the earth, preventing her from flying away. In his desperation, James takes the scarf and takes it to the Sylph. As he wraps it around her shoulders, the spell takes hold. To his horror, the Sylph’s wings wither and fall, as she collapses and dies in James’ arms.
As silence returns to the forest, Gurn and Effie are seen leading a bridal procession. James, overwhelmed with sorrow, watches the life he abandoned pass by. Madge looks on triumphantly as James collapses in despair, alone and heartbroken, a tragic victim of his own yearning.
Watch a short extract of La Sylphide here!
References:
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