La Bayadere

La Bayadere opens outside the temple in the Sacred Forest. The High Brahmin, priests, and the bayadere, temple dancers, are celebrating the Indian Ritual of Fire. The most beautiful bayadere, Nikiya, who is in love with the young warrior Solor, has been chosen to be the lead temple dancer. The High Brahmin is also in love with her, but she rejects him, and he swears his revenge. At the palace, the Rajah declares that his daughter Gamzetti will marry Solor. But the High Brahmin tells him that Solor and Nikiya are in love, and the Rajah also swears revenge on Nikiya. Gamzetti overhears this, and has her slave bring Nikiya to her. She tries to bribe Nikiya with jewels and money to leave Solor, but Nikiya refuses, and attempts to stab Gamzetti. Now, Gamzetti has also sworn vengeance on Nikiya. At the palace garden, Nikiya is commanded to dance at the wedding of Solor and Gamzetti. Nikiya is given a bouquet of flowers she believes to be from Solor, but are actually from Gamzetti, and contain a deadly snake. When Gamzetti and Solor leave together, Nikiya refuses the antidote and dies. At Solor's tent, Solor is grief stricken and under opium's influence. He dreams of being reunited with Nikiya in The Kingdom of Shades, but upon awakening, realizes he must marry Gamzetti. At the temple during the wedding ceremony, a vision of Nikiya appears to Solor. He kneels to her and begs forgiveness. During the ceremony, Gamzetti says her vows to Solor, but he says his to the vision of Nikiya. The angry gods destroy and bury everyone in the temple, and the spirits of Nikiya and Solor are reunited in the Kingdon of the Shades.

Just to Dance...