Glazunov conisdered Raymonda (1888) to be an important milestone in his musical career. Raymonda, the libretto of which is based on a mediaeval courtly romance, also led to the first encounter between Glazunov and the great choreographer Marius Petipa. The latter's stylistic preferences largely determined the structure of the ballet. For more than a century the ballet has been one of the most successful and best-loved works of the ballet repertory throughout the world, and it has been performed on hundreds of occasions. One of the most famous choreographies was that of Rudolf Nureyev and the ballet of the Vienna State Opera.