Hello darling ballet lovers, and welcome back to my Pink Tutu Time Travels! Today is the 1st of January 1771, and oh my goodness, the Parisian winter air is positively tingling with excitement! You wouldn't believe the fabulous events unfolding on this most auspicious day!
First, a quick shout out to my darling Meg - my pink sparkling shire horse with golden hooves and a mane and tail like spun silk! Without her, we wouldn't be whizzing through time quite so effortlessly! We’ve been taking a break from Derbyshire, spending a bit of time at our "base" in a delightful French countryside chateau where the family, a darling lot of pink tutu enthusiasts themselves, love a good waltz, even at the crack of dawn! As always, I keep a stash of pink tutus on hand for everyone (a spare for every season and every occasion - it’s just the polite thing to do! ). It's always a delight to introduce these lovely people to the latest in fashion and dance, all while enjoying an enormous breakfast, complete with fresh cream, croissants, and lashings of pink champagne, naturally! After breakfast, I can’t resist indulging in a quick ballet lesson. Nothing beats a bit of plié and a chassé on a crisp winter morning!
But enough about me and Meg, this is all about you, my precious tutu-loving angels! We need to dive into the real excitement, which, as I'm sure you can imagine, is bursting at the seams with fabulousness! Today is the opening night of a brand-spanking-new opera - "Aucassin et Nicolette" by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, oh my darling ! A musical adaptation of his classic love story, the drama, the passion, it’s a sheer whirlwind! Rousseau himself penned this delightful tale just for this special event at the newly built Théâtre du Château de Fontainebleau in ... wait for it... Fontainebleau! *Squeal! * A truly fabulous location!
What does that mean? This revolutionary opera house - its acoustics are a dream! With the audience just metres away from the stage, and with seating arranged for maximum theatrical impact (every detail is planned for optimum impact!), there's nowhere to hide, and everywhere to be wowed!
My little darlings , let me just give you a peek behind the curtains at this masterpiece: the stage is just bursting with vibrant colours - shimmering golds and fiery reds. There are even some breathtaking pink panels, of course, adding that quintessential touch of pink! I swear, every scene bursts with a life all its own - I can already envision magnifique costumes, stunning choreography, and voices so pure, they’d melt a bistro au chocolat into a pool of sugary goodness! You need to see it to believe it - this isn’t a mere theatrical production - it's a symphony of visual and auditory brilliance that'll leave you floating for days. Oh! I can't contain myself ! This is a moment for the ages, dearies!
And let's not forget, the Paris Opera - ooh la la! - is not just the place to be seen, it's the centre of a world swimming in elegance and sophistication. The whole city is alive with excitement, you see. The latest whispers of gossip - oh, darling! So scandalous - the latest in ballet fashion, the arrival of the most fabulous ballerinas, from all corners of the world - what’s a girl to do except take it all in and live for every second? It's enough to make any ballerina go a little pink-cheeked.
And let’s not forget about the world of dance, darling! Ballet's getting a makeover right under our noses! The famed dancer Louis Dupré is here, bringing a whole new attitude to the scene - can you imagine? * From the *grande ballet he's got it all, and I’m told there's been an oh-so-secret ballet school recently established on the fringes of the city where he teaches students, helping to nurture this revolutionary new dance approach - you have no idea how excited I am!
After the opera, a charming dinner in a private room in one of the most delectable restaurants in Paris (shh, its secret!), a ballet performance at the Salle des Fêtes, where they showcase the finest performers, including some rather famous names I may or may not mention, a chance to buy a gorgeous ball gown at the finest Couturière ( I always do !) and, finally, a walk through the charming, romantic Tuileries Gardens – this is Paris ! So chic!
With every beat of Meg's pink-shoed hooves, I collect fascinating stories and ballet treasures from each time period. These will make their way back to the Derbyshire farm, to be archived on my pink-tutu website! I’ll be adding this Parisian night to the “A Moment in Ballet History" archive. Oh, and darling, don’t forget, every event you see, hear about, or imagine about in your world has its own place in history - it’s up to you to preserve, remember, and cherish those special moments.
Oh dear, I could ramble on forever - but I simply must hurry and prepare my gown for the performance. This is going to be a splendid evening !
Until next time, darlings - and please remember: pink is always in, so why not join me on the pink-tutu side of life!
Love,
Emma
P.S Don’t forget to visit www.pink-tutu.com for your next dose of time travel magic!
