Autograph musical manuscript by the Italian composer of ballet music most noted for his long career as kapellmeister and Director of Music of the Imperial Ballet of St. Petersburg, Russia, for which he composed music for the original works and revivals of the choreographers Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. 

5 pp. identified as "Valse Lente" from "Esmeralda," including the instrumental parts for 1st violin, cello, bass, clarinet A, cornet, the violin part signed "R. Drigo" at the head, with three of the pages also inscribed in pencil "Mlle Parepa." Together with a very tattered copy of the printed sheet music (FM Geidel, Leipzig) for the work, with pages 3/4 laid in, the title page/page 2 backed by a cardboard calendar for the year 1913. Mademoiselle Parepa was the stage name of Parepa Osterman, an early 1900s ballet dancer who may have used the present music. 

Uncommon. We trace only one Drigo autograph manuscript having appeared at auction (Sotheby's, 12/8/2000) and this is the only Drigo autograph of any kind we have offered.

There are many pieces set to the music of Drigo that are still performed today, many of which are considered cornerstones of the classical ballet repertory, some of which were arranged long after Drigo left Russia, and/or were set to music fashioned from his full-length scores: Le Corsaire Pas de Deux; La Esmeralda Pas de Deux; La Esmeralda Pas de Six; the Diane and Actéon Pas de Deux; The Talisman Pas de Deux; the Harlequinade Pas de Deux; and the Ocean and the Pearls Pas de Trois. Many of Drigo's supplemental variations, etc. can be found in such repertory pieces as the Paquita Grand pas classique, La Fille mal gardée pas de deux and the ballets La Esmeralda, The Fairy Doll, Le Corsaire and La Bayadère.

La Esmeralda is a ballet in 3 acts, 5 scenes, inspired by Notre Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo, originally choreographed by Jules Perrot to music by Cesare Pugni and presented by the Ballet of her Majesty's Theatre, London on March 9, 1844. Marius Petipa revived the work especially for the Ballerina Virginia Zucchi of the Imperial Ballet, in 4 acts and 5 scenes at the Imperial Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 17 December 1886, with a musical revision and additional pas by Riccardo Drigo.