The Pharaoh’s Daughter (1862)
First performed on 18 January 1862 Grand ballet in three acts and nine scenes, with prologue and epilogue
Music by Cesare Pugni
Libretto by Jules-Henri Vernoy de Saint-Georges and Marius Petipa based on Théophile Gautier’s novella “Le Roman de la Momie”
Choreography by Marius Petipa
The ballet is set in the mid-19th century. Lord Wilson is travelling in Egypt and during bad weather takes shelter in pyramid, where he hears a tale of the rulers entombed there and of the pharaoh’s beloved daughter Aspicia.
Wilson falls asleep and in his dream he becomes the Ancient Egyptian Ta-Hor. Overcoming all obstacles, Ta-Hor and Aspicia fall into each other’s embraces. Lord Wilson wake up, and accompanied by the Aspicia from his dream, continues on his travels.