Hello darling! Welcome back to Pink Tutu, the blog dedicated to all things pink and twirly! This month, my lovely Magic Meg and I have time-travelled to a very special date: August 8th, 1855. It's a date that holds a particular significance for ballet lovers like myself!
Now, I must admit, my pink tutu didn't exactly go unnoticed. I must say, it was rather shocking to the people of the day! It felt rather splendid, especially seeing how they all dressed in dark colours. I felt rather flamboyant and elegant. I did notice how many lovely hats everyone wore - so many pretty colours, feather trims and delicate lace. I have such an urge to whip out my sewing machine and recreate those hats, don't you think? They would go beautifully with a pink tutu!
Anyways, darling, as we've reached the time of 1855, I found that August 8th held a particularly special event - The Royal Italian Opera opened its doors at the Covent Garden Theatre.
Fancy that!
A whole theatre just for Italian opera? Isn’t that incredible?! I mean, opera is beautiful, of course, but wouldn't you love to hear them performing alongside an enchanting ballet performance? That would just be magical!
Speaking of enchanting… It wouldn't be time-travel without finding out a bit about the ballet performances on offer! I was very lucky as this month saw the wonderful Marie Taglioni on stage. Just picture this: the graceful moves, the perfectly timed pirouettes, the artistry... A true star of the ballet world. I wonder how her pink tutu would compare to mine.
I've read that she is most famous for performing in La Sylphide, where she wore a white, gossamer-like tutu and "became a supernatural creature." I can imagine how it would've moved with her every step. However, she was such a popular dancer that they actually wrote her a bespoke ballet for her called "The Peasant Wedding" - How exciting! Wouldn't that have been fantastic to see? I think her tutu would have been a dream – perhaps white with flowers.
You know I'm absolutely in love with ballet history, darling, but the most fabulous part about all this? I have managed to unearth an absolutely enchanting tale - the tale of the Russian Ballet Company.
Can you believe it? Ballet arrived from Russia, making its mark in London!
And do you want to know what is so captivating about this story? They arrived with a dance called "Le Lac des Cygnes." Now, that’s no ordinary ballet – this tells the story of a Princess who turns into a swan. You can’t get much more enchanting than that, can you? Just picture this; grace, elegance, and mystery all intertwined. What’s not to love?
Speaking of love, it wasn't all smooth sailing. This new ballet company received quite a bit of criticism, darling! The Times, believe it or not, declared it "utterly vulgar" - Can you imagine?! How terrible! I was so distressed to hear about this as their performances sound incredible. However, I've managed to sneak out a snippet of what happened on August 8th in 1855!
I did quite a bit of researching about this fascinating company! Turns out they did a "special matinee" of *The Pearl" by Arthur Saint-Léon at the Royal Italian Opera. Apparently, this piece involves beautiful nymphs and dancing flames! The sounds and visuals just fill me with anticipation! Just think about it; ethereal movements, a sprinkle of fire, and the grandeur of the stage. That sounds simply magical, don't you think?
I was a bit disappointed because I hadn't found much information about the Royal Italian Opera when it comes to fashion. This is all about the costumes of the ballet companies.
That was why, later that day, I had a real treat; the first ballet production by a dancer from Moscow. He wore white, silk tights, his partner wore white, gossamer garments and on the last note, he twirled the lady around! Just picture this – she is whirling through the air. I'm simply enchanted, just thinking about it!
The gentleman, Arthur Saint-Leon then made quite an impression. He had such strong lines and impressive techniques - a master of movement, you could say!
Now I’m quite intrigued about what else there is to find out. So much for the historical events of today, let me now tell you about all the fabulous treasures I discovered in my rucksack!
On a stroll around the cobbled streets, I popped into a book shop. You could almost smell the scent of leather and aged paper when I entered, which filled the whole air with such warmth. They were selling this really beautiful book of poems. My word! The lovely illustrations with romantic lines like * “Oh, beauty! How beautiful it is! How well your heart and my own agree!* Aren’t these lovely lines? They perfectly convey what I feel when I’m dancing and spinning around!
And what else can I do, darling, but get a peek at what is going on with fashion in this era? Of course, I couldn't possibly leave without checking out the clothes. I must say, their clothes were quite different from ours today. Much more elaborate and covered. This gave me a real fashion rush - I couldn't stop picking up fabrics and looking at the stunning embellishments of a very beautiful and glamorous dress. It felt like I’d stepped into a different world. I couldn't wait to tell everyone back in the future what I had discovered!
Finally, I had a delicious, homemade dinner of freshly baked bread and honey with a glass of spiced milk at a charming little tavern. I then popped in to the local dance hall, a lovely dimly lit room with live music where people were happily waltzing and dancing. There was a feeling of great fun in the room. I had such a joyful time and even had a waltz with one of the locals – the gentlemen didn’t really know what to make of my tutu, but my dance steps soon won him over! It was so exciting to be part of their community, darling! It really makes you see how many people come together to create this sense of fun and joy in these old times! I have to remember this for a future blog post!
That's all for this month, darling! As you know I must return to our time, and it's time for me to prepare for my upcoming performance. I'm really excited about our show - we're showcasing some fabulous classical ballet pieces! There’s just nothing better than being on stage! I am excited to share it with you on our next journey together, so be sure to stay tuned!
Until next time, keep twirling and spreading joy!
And darling, remember… If you love it, you can wear a pink tutu!
Lots of love, Emma xx
