**February, 1997**
Oh, darling, what a month it's been! The international ballet scene positively buzzed with dazzling performances and exciting new productions, making a girl positively giddy with the sheer delight of it all! We travelled, my dears, from the romantic depths of the Parisian Opera Ballet to the icy, majestic heights of the Bolshoi in Moscow, experiencing a breathtaking spectrum of ballet styles and brilliance along the way. Prepare yourself, my lovelies, for a whirlwind tour of the best, the boldest, the most bewitching ballet performances that swept the world in February!
Let us begin with the undeniable star of the month, **Sylvie Guillem**, in her much-anticipated farewell performance as **Giselle** at the **Royal Opera House, Covent Garden**. A hush fell over the theatre as she took to the stage, a luminous vision in the ethereal white of Giselle's wedding gown. Her movements, breathtakingly exquisite, possessed both the youthful innocence and tragic pathos that this role demands. One could feel, with each achingly beautiful pas de bourrée and fluttering fouetté, the devastating pain and yearning of this lovelorn heroine.
In the supporting roles, **Darcey Bussell** offered a delicate and tender Myrtha, Queen of the Wilis, and the masterful **Carlos Acosta** provided a captivatingly strong and tortured Albrecht. The entire performance was a triumph, but it was Guillem who shone as the quintessential Giselle - a flawless performance that left the audience spellbound.
The **Royal Ballet**, however, didn't stop there, my dears! **Matthew Bourne's** wildly successful **"Swan Lake"**, a captivatingly original interpretation of the classic tale, is still captivating audiences with its daringly new take on the beloved ballet. Gone are the graceful, traditionally elegant swans. In Bourne's vision, the swans are now, prepare to be astonished, masculine and mesmerizingly raw, a striking metaphor for the hidden complexities of human desire and identity. **Adam Cooper**, with his phenomenal physique and expressive athleticism, embodies the conflicted Prince in a performance that is simply electrifying. It is a brave, groundbreaking work that celebrates individuality, demanding to be seen by anyone with an appreciation for innovation and artistry.
In a different but equally enthralling vein, **American Ballet Theatre** graced New York's **Metropolitan Opera House** with its revival of **"La Bayadère."** The sheer scale and spectacle of this production left us breathless. **Natalia Makarova**'s stunning choreography, originally designed in 1980, still retains its hypnotic grandeur. The intricate, dramatic story of love and betrayal unfolding under a sumptuous Eastern aesthetic transported us to another time and place entirely, leaving a trail of goosebumps in our wake.
Across the Atlantic, in Paris, the **Paris Opera Ballet** continued to enchant, presenting a poignant production of **"Romeo and Juliet"** under the sensitive direction of **Rudolf Nureyev.** The intricate steps of the "Ballet of the Masks" scene, which evoke the opulent yet suffocating atmosphere of Verona, and the heartbreakingly beautiful choreography for Juliet's final death scene have never been so exquisitely portrayed. One could truly feel the palpable grief and passion emanating from the magnificent **Manuel Legris** and **Agnès Letestu** in their portrayals of the star-crossed lovers. A timeless masterpiece, beautifully and powerfully revived, it reminded us why this production continues to mesmerize generation after generation.
The legendary **Mikhail Baryshnikov** also graced the international stage with an electrifying performance of **"The Rite of Spring"**, a ballet masterpiece that captivated the world back in 1913. Performing under the direction of **Martha Graham** in **New York**, the dance showcased his extraordinary athleticism and sheer mastery over movement. His captivating presence and command over the stage cemented his place as an undisputed ballet icon.
From the vibrant energy of the New York scene, let us transport ourselves to the majestic grandeur of the **Bolshoi Ballet** in **Moscow.** **Svetlana Zakharova** offered a simply mesmerizing interpretation of **"The Sleeping Beauty."** Her portrayal of Princess Aurora, both regal and delicate, was infused with an ethereal quality that transcended the limitations of the stage. Her effortless leaps and ethereal landings, each performed with an artistry that defied description, had the entire audience utterly mesmerized.
Yet it was the sheer talent and artistry of the **corps de ballet** that made the performance truly unforgettable. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, yet their expressions were wonderfully individual, creating a visually mesmerizing spectacle of beauty, precision, and sheer magic.
While **Hamburg Ballet** surprised us all by presenting a fascinating revival of the experimental **"Four Temperaments"** by the American choreographer **George Balanchine**, it was the unique **Ballet Gulbenkian**, in Lisbon, that left a truly lasting impression. Their ambitious staging of **"The Rite of Spring"** with its innovative choreography by **Ana Martins**, re-imagining Stravinsky's iconic score with contemporary flare and visual art, proved an incredibly impactful and stimulating performance. This performance challenged convention, embraced bold aesthetics, and provided an electrifying and innovative exploration of one of the ballet world's most important masterpieces.
Finally, darlings, we must touch upon the excitement surrounding the **20th Annual International Ballet Competition** held in **Varna**, Bulgaria. This esteemed competition attracted a talented pool of dancers from around the world, and its results offered us a glimpse of the future stars that are on the verge of gracing our stages. The overall grand prize was awarded to a brilliant young dancer from **Germany** named **Johannes Hahn**, while **Alina Somova**, a remarkably gifted young talent from **Russia**, claimed the prize for best female performance. These promising dancers, along with so many others showcased at this competition, remind us that ballet is very much a living, vibrant, evolving art form.
These performances, my darlings, are but a fleeting snapshot of the exhilarating landscape of the ballet world, a world full of innovation, artistry, and raw, vibrant emotion. The beauty of these performances transcends mere physical movements. Each step, each leap, each exquisitely sculpted pose, embodies a story, a powerful emotion, an individual's artistic soul. As we journey through these diverse presentations of ballet excellence, let us not simply see the dancers, but truly "feel" their artistic journey and the boundless creativity that infuses their every movement.
Next month, we will delve further into the magical world of ballet, analyzing the trends that shape the future of dance and delving into the remarkable stories of the world's greatest ballerinas. But for now, my dears, let us relish the breathtaking moments of February, those moments of grace, artistry, and captivating spectacle that remind us why we remain eternally enraptured by the enchantment of ballet.
Yours in Ballet,
Olivia