Hello my darling dance enthusiasts! It’s Emma here, your pink tutu-clad time traveller, bringing you another instalment of ballet history from the depths of my ever-growing time-traveling rucksack! This month, Magic Meg and I have trotted all the way back to the 7th of July, 1802, a date that holds a very special place in the ballet world…but more on that later!
As always, the thrill of leaping back through the years to a different time is intoxicating. Just imagine, cobblestone streets, candlelight flickering in the shops, the air humming with the gossip of the day!
Speaking of gossip, the biggest buzz in London, even bigger than the latest opera opening (although it IS a Mozart season – quite the treat for any music lover!), is all about the new Royal Opera House! I have to admit, my dear readers, it's an impressive structure! While not as ornate as today's iconic home of ballet, it’s a vast and grand building.
Even Magic Meg seemed awestruck as we rode through the bustling streets, past carriages with ladies sporting incredible hats and gentlemen in top hats and fine coats – oh, how I long for the days of such elegance!
So, back to that special place in the ballet world, that's 7th July, 1802 – this was the very first performance ever held at the new Royal Opera House, built to replace the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane! Can you believe it? An iconic venue that still today holds so much significance for dancers all over the world began its journey on this very day. How exciting is that?
Unfortunately, ballet wasn’t exactly the main act that night. The evening's entertainment consisted of Shakespeare's "Much Ado About Nothing” followed by a variety of singers and dancers. No full-length ballet to swoon over yet, but that’s the charm of time travel – witnessing history in its raw, untamed form.
In fact, my research shows that ballet wasn’t always a star of the show. There’s a good reason why 18th and 19th-century ballet has a somewhat... shall we say "different" reputation. Imagine, the ballet itself was actually treated as a divertissement – an interlude to a musical program! Just like a mini-show, designed to give the opera singers a moment to take a breath, or simply add some visual spectacle between other performance forms.
Don't get me wrong, dancers were always there, swirling and leaping with incredible grace! But they were not yet considered the main attraction. They were much like the graceful, decorative touches of an ornate cake, exquisite and delightful, yet definitely secondary to the core structure and taste.
Even so, you bet I took the opportunity to sneak into the opera house to watch! Dressed in my new, beautifully beaded pink tutu (a little bit of historical flair!), and a dainty lace shawl, I made myself blend into the fashionable throng. Of course, Magic Meg was just a small white, feathery speck in the dark – she had her disguises, too!
And my goodness, was that performance fascinating!
Imagine, dear readers, I actually watched dancers on stage while sitting on velvet seating, watching the whole production unfold in the dimmed, almost theatrical, gaslight, with candlelight reflecting off the swirling silk dresses of the audience! Just amazing! The details – everything felt so vivid and alive. It’s a true blessing to be able to experience these little pieces of history firsthand.
The audience was a fascinating blend of people, too. A mixture of high-society folk in fine clothes and people dressed in a simple but elegant fashion – some looked like they were more there for the occasion of going to the theatre than for the actual show itself.
That being said, they still gasped in surprise, applauded at the appropriate moments, and occasionally let out whispers of admiration, mostly directed at the opera singers, of course! Even if the audience seemed to be focused on other elements of the evening’s entertainment, the performers – oh, they gave their all with grace and incredible athleticism!
For those dancers, performing for that audience must have felt like a privilege – they knew that they were at the beginning of a long and exciting journey for the art form of ballet.
Back to our shopping adventure! Of course, no trip to 1802 would be complete without a little indulging in some fabulous shopping, right? And where better to do that than in London, the centre of fashion and artistry!
I ventured into some of the quaint and charming boutiques, seeking out that perfectly elegant 1802 vintage touch – delicate hand-sewn fabrics in soft shades of pink, silk gloves and ribbons for hair adornment. A charming little silk rose that caught my eye in one of the shops is already destined to adorn my next bespoke pink tutu! I even managed to find an incredibly detailed embroidered silk fan – perfect for those hot summer days, and for adding that extra touch of flair while practicing my grand jetés in the sunshine!
Even if ballet itself was playing a "second fiddle" to opera at the time, the passion and commitment to their art form, their dedication to grace and artistry - it shines through so brightly even across all these years. It really is remarkable, wouldn’t you agree, how ballet has evolved into what we know it as today – a powerful, moving, and breathtaking art form!
However, there’s one important thing to remember. Without these dancers, these performers who dedicated themselves to ballet during its early, almost "unsung" days, there wouldn't be the incredible ballets we get to enjoy today, all around the world!
Their passion and commitment paved the way for today's brilliant dancers and choreographers – it's really just remarkable to think about the impact they had on our history and our present day!
So, let’s remember the power of ballet history.
What do you think, darling readers? Shall we journey back in time to learn more about ballet? Remember to check my website, www.pink-tutu.com for my monthly time travel posts, and share your thoughts in the comments below.
See you next time, and as always, remember - everything looks better in pink!
Love,
Emma, the pink tutu Time Traveller
