Blog Post #2570 - www.pink-tutu.com
Hello my lovely tutu-twirling readers! Emma here, ready to whisk you off on another enchanting time-travelling adventure, all thanks to my darling Magic Meg - the most fabulous, sparkling pink Shire horse with hooves of gold you ever did see!
February 2nd, 1875 – that’s where we find ourselves this month, tucked into our time machine saddles. And I’m not going to lie, dear readers, the air’s filled with a heady, excited buzz! It’s the day of the grand opening of the Teatro alla Scala in Milan – a jewel box of an opera house with a history as rich and colourful as a ball gown!
Imagine it, darling – a new year, the first blossoms on the trees, and a city awash in the promise of new beginnings, all culminating in a dazzling performance of Verdi’s La Forza del Destino. I can almost smell the perfume and the sweet, swirling aroma of fresh flowers filling the air as society gathers in its most exquisite attire – the gents sporting velvet jackets, the ladies shimmering in satins and silks, a kaleidoscope of colour befitting such a special occasion.
Oh, and darling, wouldn’t you know it, the ballet! Imagine the graceful arabesques, the thrilling leaps, and the breathtaking pas de deux - all to the glorious, soaring music of Verdi.
Don’t worry, dears, my darling Magic Meg and I weren’t just spectators! I slipped into the back of the auditorium to catch the performance, my own little pink tutu feeling awfully glamorous amidst the sea of swirling ball gowns! It was a spectacular evening, a whirlwind of elegant dances, romantic music, and the thrill of witnessing the birth of something magical – a theatre with a destiny as grand as its name.
But hold your horses! The adventures didn't stop there! I snagged a backstage pass thanks to the good graces of a dashing gentleman in a frock coat - he was so impressed with my pink tutu and the twinkle in my eyes (and maybe the story I spun of being a ballet writer!).
Oh, the stories I heard, darling! It turns out, 1875 was a veritable ballet whirlwind – a hotbed of artistry!
The great Mademoiselle Taglioni, with her famed ethereal dancing style, had retired in 1847 - and in 1859 she'd danced a farewell waltz. She became a choreographer at the Bolshoi in 1869, only to die three years later, just a couple of months before we popped by. It seems the art of ballet, darling, is woven into the very fabric of time – one brilliant performance at a time, one captivating story after another!
From this very spot in 1875, there’s a vibrant network of dancers travelling around the globe, sharing their artistry and passion, a whirlwind of tutus, leaps, and elegant turns.
On the back of my saddle, in my trusty leather rucksack, are ballet stories, tickets, even an embroidered costume piece I traded for – a delicate, lavender sash! And you just KNOW this is just the start – there’s more adventures in ballet history to be discovered, and believe me, my pink tutu is ready for all of them!
But the most important thing about this trip? You bet you can guess! I’m ready to set a new trend, dears - because let’s be honest, a splash of pink is just what the world needs, right? Who’s with me on a tutu-tastic revolution?
See you next month, dears, and don’t forget to follow your dreams - big or small - they can be a magical journey!
Emma, xx
