The premiere of the ballet Raymonda by Alexander Glazunov took place at the Mariinsky Theatre on the 7th of January 1898. The script, based on the knights’ legends, was done by the writer and society columnist Lidia Pashkova. Marius Petipa and the director of the Imperial Theatres, Ivan Alexandrovich Vsevolozhsky, took it as the foundation of their ballet libretto.

The leading part at the premiere was danced by Pierina Legnani. The parts of Raymonda's fiancé, Knight Jean de Brienne, and Saracen knight, Abderakhman, who was in love with her, were performed by Sergei Legat and Pavel Gerdt, respectively. One of the two variations in the “Raymonda's daydreams” scene was danced by Ekaterina Geltzer, who would become one of the main performers of the Raymonda part in Moscow. She was also involved in the Hungarian Grand pas of the last act.