Flower Festival in Genzano
Hans Beck and Cecilie Guldbrandsen in Flower Festival in Genzano, whose famous pas de deux remains a favorite of dancers and audiences today. circa 1875.
QUICK F A C T S
- ✦ Inspired by a tale from Impressions de voyage by Alexandre Dumas, the ballet is set during a flower festival in Genzano, Italy, and follows the romance of two young lovers, Rosa and Paolo.
✦ Although the complete ballet has not been performed since 1929, its celebrated Pas de Deux remains a favorite at galas, competitions, and ballet schools around the world.
✦ Showcases the hallmarks of the Bournonville style, including quick footwork, buoyant jumps, musicality, and natural-looking movement.
Ellen Price as Rosa and Richard Jensen as Paolo in the pas de deux from The Flower Festival in Genzano, 1906.
S U M M A R Y
Flower Festival in Genzano is a one-act ballet created by Danish choreographer August Bournonville that premiered in December 1858 with the Royal Danish Ballet. Set during a real flower festival in Genzano, Italy, it tells the romantic story of Rosa and Paolo, whose love is tested before ending in celebration. The libretto was inspired by a tale from Impressions de voyage, a travel book by French writer Alexandre Dumas. The music for the ballet was composed by Edvard Helsted and Holger Simon Paulli.
Ellen Price as Rosa and Richard Jensen as Paolo in the pas de deux from The Flower Festival in Genzano, 1906.
Genzano, Italy, colrized-circa 1860. The town's celebrated flower festival inspired the setting of August Bournonville's Flower Festival in Genzano.
Although the complete ballet gradually disappeared from the stage and was last performed in Denmark in 1929, one famous section survived: the dazzling Flower Festival in Genzano Pas de Deux. This lively dance remains a favorite at ballet galas and competitions around the world. Interestingly, many historians believe its origins can be traced to an 1842 Vienna production of Bournonville's Napoli. The melody was originally composed by Matthias Strebinger, and Paulli later adapted it for Flower Festival in Genzano, helping create the beloved pas de deux that audiences still enjoy today.
Bournonville was the son of a ballet master and trained in both Denmark and France before developing his own distinctive style. His work became so influential that it evolved into the Bournonville Method, a training tradition still taught today. Known for quick footwork, buoyant jumps, musical precision, and natural-looking movement, the Bournonville style helped shape Romantic ballet and remains one of the most important choreographic traditions in ballet history.
Antoine August Bournonville (1805-1879), Danish ballet master. Photo: Emil Lange, commons.
E N C O R E
✦ On Today’s Stage
Although the full ballet is rarely performed today, the Flower Festival in Genzano Pas de Deux remains a favorite at galas, competitions, and ballet schools around the world. Its quick footwork, buoyant jumps, and joyful energy make it one of the most beloved showcases of the Bournonville style.
✦ Iconic Interpreters
Generations of Royal Danish Ballet dancers have helped preserve Flower Festival in Genzano, including Hans Beck and Cecilie Guldbrandsen in the nineteenth century. In modern times, the famous pas de deux continues to be performed by leading dancers seeking to master the precision, musicality, and charm of the Bournonville tradition.
✦ Legacy
Created by August Bournonville in 1858, Flower Festival in Genzano remains one of the most enduring symbols of Danish ballet. Though much of the original ballet has been lost, its celebrated pas de deux survives as a living link to the Romantic era and the distinctive Bournonville Method that continues to influence dancers today.