Riccardo Drigo

Les Millions d'Arlequin (Harlequin's Millions): Pas de Troi

The ballet Les Millions d'Arlequin (The Harlequin's Millions; Harlequinade) was one of three short ballets commissioned to the famed choreographer Marius Petipa of the Saint Petersburg Imperial Theatres for a private performance at the imperial Russian court. A ballet comique in two acts with two tableaux, the libretto (written by Petipa) is based on episodes using the stock characters from the Italian Commedia dell'arte. At its premiere by the Imperial Ballet in Saint Petersburg on February 23, 1900, the royal family broke with the customary etiquette and erupted into thunderous applause at the conclusion. Composer Riccardo Drigo (1846-1930), though, received the greatest accolades, being congratulated heartily by the Russian nobility. This orchestration of the Pas de Troi has been completed by William McDermott. Instrumentation: 2(1dPicc).2.2.2: 4.2.3.0: Timp.Perc(2): Hp: Str (4-4-3-3-3 in set).