Harlequin's Millions : Work information

Composers
Riccardo Drigo ( Music, Images,)
Performed by
Mela Tenenbaum (Violin), Anton Nel (Piano)

This work

Work name
Harlequin's Millions
Work number
n/a
Key
n/a
Genre
A
Composed
1900-00-00 02:00:00

This recording

Label
Essay
Producer
Adam Abeshouse
Engineer
Adam Abeshouse
Recording date
1994-09-01 01:00:00

The Composers

Riccardo Drigo

Track listing

  • Serenade 4:37 min

Notes

Riccardo Drigo's ballet, Arlequinada or Harlequin's Millions, received its first performance on 10 February 1900 at St Petersburg's Hermitage Centre with choreography by Marius Pepita, and enjoyed a large measure of international success. It has been revived, most notably by Georges Ballanchine in 1965 for New York City Ballet, but is most famous for a serenade sung by the Harlequin that has been arranged for countless combinations of instruments.

The scenario is set at the Venice Carnival and concerns Columbine, forbidden to marry the penniless Harlequin by her father. Locked in her house, she is serenaded by the Harlequin at her balcony (her fiance is, by way of contrast, an awful singer). All ends happily as, through the actions of the Queen of the Carnival, Fierina, the Harlequin discovers he has inherited a fortune and Columbine's father is persuaded.