August, darlings! The heat is on, and so is the dance scene. Weâre deep into summer, and that means a plethora of ballets, festivals, and even a few rather delightful surprises that have us all aflutter.
My darlings, I've been flitting from Paris to Prague, with a quick stopover in Moscow for a bit of Bolshoi magic, and the energy is positively electrifying! Oh, and did I mention the frocks? My dear, some of the costumes are truly, truly fabulous - as if a designer took all of the colours of summer and embroidered them onto tulle. Truly a spectacle, especially on that magnificent Bolshoi stage.
Letâs start in Paris, darling, where the OpĂ©ra de Paris, our Parisian love, had an incredible run of their âGiselle.â I always find "Giselle" a rather lovely little ballet. Sweet and wistful with those glorious tutus, but it really all depends on the ballerina. I tell you, darling, they were blessed this season with a remarkable Lise â a delicate, fragile, yet oh-so-fierce beauty named Sylvie Guillem, and oh darling, you could just melt. There wasnât a dry eye in the house by the time the curtain fell, I simply must confess. The corps de ballet too, were truly heavenly - as precise and lovely as can be. My darling, there are nights at the ballet where you feel like you could literally take flight with those dancers - and this, this was definitely one of those nights.
Off to the Festival de lâOpĂ©ra dâAix-en-Provence!, my darlings. Now this is a festival, a genuine jewel of a celebration! Aix-en-Provence has such a gorgeous setting for a ballet - charming stone buildings, lush lavender fields - perfect for the romantics amongst us! The opera company was on top of their game, giving us a stunning production of "Carmen," choreographed by the absolutely wonderful Angelin Preljocaj. Such clever storytelling, it's more than a ballet - it's a theatrical treat. He has such an incredible sense of visual narrative; there are moments of exquisite beauty but also an element of dark humour, a little naughty, darling, just like the Carmen herself.
Speaking of dark and a touch naughty, **my excursion to Moscow yielded quite a fascinating show. It's hard to talk about the Bolshoi and not get swept up in the sheer majesty of it all. Itâs the epitome of a grand ballet. My dear, those soaring arches, the opulent red and gold dĂ©cor, just heavenly! And this production of âRomeo and Juliet,â I canât rave enough about it! It was thrilling to witness the raw talent and power of the Bolshoi dancers - all those high extensions and jumps that sent shivers down my spine, truly beautiful. The dancing is of the highest order and there is nothing quite as dramatic as a classic Bolshoi performance of a grand ballet. It truly left me breathless, my darling.
From the Bolshoi to Prague - an entirely different vibe but with its own captivating charms! Prague is a real jewel - such history and architectural charm, it's like a ballet setting in its own right! It felt rather magical, seeing such classic dance steps take place on such a historically steeped stage at the National Theatre in Prague. And letâs be honest, their production of âSwan Lakeâ was absolutely perfect - all the drama, the yearning, and of course, the graceful swan ladies. It was truly delightful! Their principal ballerina is just radiant - a porcelain doll come to life. And the costume changes! Darling, if I ever get bored I just need to visit Prague and count the number of swan outfits in the âSwan Lakeâ performance!
But wait, darling, there's more! A visit to **The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in London** just felt like a must. And how do you say ânoâ to an exquisite âNutcracker?â I must tell you, there are not many productions of âNutcrackerâ that capture the pure innocent magic of this piece as the Royal Opera House manages to. A beautiful score by Tchaikovsky - it is truly the essence of a âNutcrackerâ Christmas - a warm hug on a cold winterâs day, just wonderful! It's pure joy - like a cup of hot cocoa after a good ballet show - just perfect!
But wait, what is this you say! My darlings, I just must tell you about my visit to this lovely little dance company in Bath called Bath Ballet! I mean Bath itself is pretty magical, a place straight out of Jane Austen novel - oh so English! And the dancers were simply lovely, like swans in a little pool of creativity! And their choreography - quite simply extraordinary! This company of just nine dancers, with some of the most charming costumes Iâve ever seen â each dancer moving with a graceful elegance, a perfect ballet style - it was a sheer delight! Such beauty, such intimacy! Their ballet of "Romeo and Juliet" â completely unexpected but charming and moving in its simplicity.
My darlings, **the beauty of dance extends to all corners of the world,** and these small companies are the true heroes. Their productions are filled with such love, passion, and dedication to the craft. You see, itâs all about the passion, the dedication - thatâs the most captivating quality of all. Ballet in a grand opera house or a charming village hall - the magic and beauty, it's all there!
So my darlings, as we say au revoir to August, we embrace the anticipation of the months ahead. We will see the grace, the passion, and the beauty of ballet from the most famous ballet houses to the intimate village halls - we shall explore and cherish every dance step!
Now my darlings, as I leave you, remember always to celebrate dance, to seek the magic, and to embrace the beauty that shines through those enchanting dance moves!