Mayerling (ballet)
| Mayerling | |
|---|---|
| Choreographer | Kenneth MacMillan |
| Premiere | 1978 London |
| Original ballet company | Royal Ballet |
| Setting | Austria |
| Genre | Neoclassical ballet |
| Type | classical ballet |
Mayerling is a ballet created in 1978 by Kenneth MacMillan for the Royal Ballet, London.
Prologue: The cemetery at Heiligenkreuz before dawn
Scene 1: The ballroom at the Hofburg Palace, Vienna
A ball to celebrate the marriage of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria-Hungary and Princess Stephanie of Belgium is in full swing. Rudolf flirts shamelessly with Stephanie's sister, Princess Louise, offending both his new bride and his parents, Emperor Franz Josef and Empress Elisabeth. Rudolf meets Countess Marie Larisch, a former mistress, and Baroness Vetsera. The Baroness introduces her 17-year-old daughter Mary Vetsera. Four Hungarian officers, friends of Rudolf, enter and forcefully argue the separatist cause of their country. Countess Larisch tries to rekindle her relationship with Rudolf. The pair are discovered by the Emperor, who demands that Rudolf return to his wife.
Scene 2: The Empress’s apartments at the Hofburg
Having retired from the ball, Empress Elisabeth is being attended by her ladies-in-waiting. Rudolf visits his mother, on his way to his new bride. He expresses his deep unhappiness at being pressured into marriage. Desperate for maternal affection he tries to embrace the Empress, only to be coldly rebuffed.
Scene 3: Rudolf’s apartments at the Hofburg
Princess Stephanie is getting ready for her wedding night. Rudolf enters and threatens Stephanie with a revolver before making love to her.
Scene 1: A notorious tavern
Rudolf and Stephanie enter the tavern in disguise. They are accompanied by Rudolf's driver Bratfisch, who attempts to lighten Stephanie’s spirits. Prostitutes compete for the men’s attention and Stephanie flees the tavern in disgust. Rudolf turns his attention to his Hungarian friends and his regular mistress, the courtesan Mitzi Caspar. The police burst in and Rudolf, Mitzi and the Hungarian officers hide. The police arrest several people before leaving. In a despairing mood, Rudolf proposes a suicide pact to Mitzi. The Prime Minister Count Taaffe enters the tavern, looking for Rudolf. Rudolf hides again but Mitzi tells the Count where he is hidden. The Count and Mitzi leave together.
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