Raymonda is a ballet choreographed by Marius Petipa and set to Alexander Glazunov's score. It first premiered in 1898 in Russia, starring the Italian ballerina Pierina Legnani. It is still performed to this day, though with a lot of changes depending on who is staging it. Rudolph Nureyev created his own version for the Paris Opera Ballet in France, and an exact copy of the 1898 production was created in 2011 for Teatre La Scala in Italy.
The story opens on the name day of Countess Raymonda, a young maiden who lives in Doris castle. Her aunt, Countess Sybille, scolds four of Raymonda's friends for laziness, and tells them of the White Lady, ghost who protects the castle, warns members of the family when they are in danger, and punishes those who don't fulfill their duties. The friends laugh at Sybille's legend and continue to celebrate. Raymonda learns that her fiancé, the young knight Jean de Brienne, is returning from the crusades, where he fought for Andre of Hungary, and is overjoyed. Suddenly the party is interrupted when a Saracen knight called Abderakhman unexpectedly appears, seeking shelter. He falls in love with Raymonda immediately and decides to do anything he can to win her. Raymonda falls asleep and the White Lady comes to her in a dream where she meets Jean, who then becomes Abderakhman. When Raymonda rejects him, the dream becomes a nightmare and the White Lady makes the vision disappear just before Abderakhman tries to rape Raymonda.
As the castle prepares for a feast in honor of Jean's arrival, Raymonda is worried at his delay. Abderakhman continues to make advances on her, but remembering the warning of the White Lady Raymonda resists him. Realizing he must use force, he drugs the other party guests and tries to abduct Raymonda, but she is saved when Jean de Brienne and King Andre arrive. Jean rescues Raymonda and tries to fight Abderakhman, and the king commands them to duel. During the duel, the White Lady appears to Abderakhman, startling him. He is slain by Jean de Brienne's sword. Raymonda joyfully reunites with Jean, and King Andre blesses their marriage. The last act of the ballet consists of Jean and Raymonda's wedding, presided over by the king, where everyone dances in Hungarian clothes to honor him.
Raymonda provides examples of:
- Aristocrats Are Evil: averted. Raymonda, her aunt, and the king are all protagonists of the ballet.
- Artistic License: everything about Abderakhman, but most of the costumes and sets in general are not accurate to medieval Europe, since there has to be dancing.
- Aerith and Bob: Raymonda, Sybille, Abderakhman, Clémence, Henrietta, and...Jean, the French equivalent of John.
- Love at First Sight: happens with Abderakhman when he sees Raymonda.
- Love Makes You Evil: Abderakhman's love for Raymonda soon makes him turn to force to win her because of her Incorruptible Pure Pureness.
- Haunted Castle: Doris Castle, Raymonda's home, is haunted by the White Lady, a protective ghost.
- Outdated Name: Raymonda.
- The Good King: King Andres of Hungary.
- Knight in Shining Armor: Jean de Brienne.
- Stalker with a Crush: In her prophetic dream, Abderakhman tries to rape Raymonda (in most versions.) He later drugs her whole castle to try to abduct her after she has turned him down.
