Hello my lovely ballet bunnies! Emma here, your time-travelling ballerina blogger, and Iām back from another adventure! This month Iāve travelled all the way back to 1774, the year the iconic āThe Marriage of Figaroā premiered! How exciting, right? My pink tutu (itās a beautiful shimmering creation with the softest silk, adorned with the most exquisite pearls - and it's pink of course!) and I rode on the back of Magic Meg, my magical, sparkling pink Shire horse (have I mentioned sheās got golden hooves, a flowing white mane and tail?) all the way through the mists of time!
Honestly, you wouldn't believe the sights! Everything is so different - from the cobbled streets and horse-drawn carriages, to the beautiful lace and velvet fashions. It truly takes you back to a different era. Speaking of fashion, did I mention I was rocking my pink tutu amongst the frilly rococo styles? Everyone seemed to be smitten by the pink (because everyone loves a bit of pink, donāt they? It's simply the most fabulous colour). A lot of ladies did their best to try to copy my tutu by pinning their gowns with ribbons - but of course, nothing compares to the original pink tutu!
Speaking of originality, you have to see this stunning vintage ballet programme I got in my leather rucksack from the era. A real treasure. It even has a little sketch of the dancers, so intricate and delicate. You see, even back in the 1700s, people were completely captivated by ballet! Ballet was more than just a performance - it was a true cultural phenomenon. You know, when Iām in the past I find that I spend a lot of my time trying to teach everyone about the elegance of the ballet, because everyone really does love a good performance. It seems like, back in those days, all the men liked their dancing, too! It wasn't just a womanās thing! In fact, the programme lists a manās name for a male dancing role: Mr. DāEgville! How incredible to think there was already an āMr. DāEgvilleā gracing the stage so long ago.
To celebrate this magnificent month of history, I am going to share with you all a bit about the incredible story of the āThe Marriage of Figaro,ā a production that was taking everyone by storm.
The Marriage of Figaro
āThe Marriage of Figaroā is a truly iconic piece, folks. This sparkling comedic opera (think āThe Sound of Musicā but with an even bigger dose of āawwwā!), written by the incredibly talented Wolfgang Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte. (It even makes me wish I had gone to music school back in the day). In a nutshell (I can only talk so much about operas before the whole pink and tutu angle falls apart! ), the story follows a few pairs of romantic lovers. A servant (Figaro) has cleverly outwitted his rich employer, Count Almaviva, in getting the marriage license, a right reserved for noblemen! And guess who falls in love with a servant too! The Countās young bride. Drama ensues! Love triumphs! There's a huge sense of community as all these romances unfold, just as everyone does with all of my ballet adventures ā I have my audience too! They really get me!
The showās full of beautiful melodies, which is always great. Honestly, just listening to a little bit of it right now, here in Derbyshire, I am transported back to the theatre in Vienna - just for a minute! The people just seem so... full of life... just like I feel after my amazing trips back in time! My imagination is bursting.
Back in the day, I'm certain that the entire performance would have been beautifully executed ā you know what they say about ātheatreā ā everyone loves it.
Speaking of theatre and ātheatreā lovers, did I tell you I found the most charming pink feathered bonnet, perfectly adorned with little sparkling pink ribbons - a tiny dream! Oh and the gloves Iām holding right now - real white lace! My goodness ā so delicate and intricate! I can already imagine a showstopping routine thatād truly set the stage on fire. It has all the right components: The beautiful dress, the intricate movement ā and it's pink of course. I know what youāre thinking - and yes, I do believe Iāll be working on that choreography for the ballet show.
Speaking of dancing I do think Iāve made myself hungry for my dance class later today. I just hope that I wonāt have the energy to dance ā all night long - since, as you already know, I did all my time travelling all through the night. So much travelling can take it out of youā¦ I don't even have the words to tell you! But I will be sure to tell you about all my adventures!
Donāt forget to check back here next month to learn about another historical time travel journey! And please do tell me your favourite pink tutu memories.
Oh! I canāt end without thanking all of you lovely pink fans ā who keep my pink flame lit, and my time travelling adventure's fully funded! Your ballet contributions and appreciation keep me moving from time zone to time zone - as much as you enjoy your ballet performances ā thatās what I love about these pink performances - I can make the shows even more spectacular and make you think about where our ballet legacy comes from - from the beautiful shows, to the exquisite fashion, and the talented, hardworking artists. The legacy that allows me to show off my tutus! Iām eternally grateful! So I'm going to keep on rocking my pink tutu, and taking you all on a journey through time, all while teaching everyone that you're never too young (or too old!) to wear pink and dream big.
Keep spreading *pink joy!
Emma xx
