The air buzzed with anticipation. I was lucky to snag a ticket for the revival of **The Good-Humoured Ladies**, a ballet first premiered in 1917, that was now returning to the Royal Opera House after a rather lengthy hiatus. I confess, I went into it somewhat hesitant, knowing little about the work. The history surrounding the piece seemed interesting, with a combination of Italian, Russian and British contributions. I was intrigued, but was unsure of what to expect. Would the revival be a nostalgic throwback or something genuinely impactful and contemporary? I was in for a delightful surprise, this ballet is an absolute joy from start to finish, both a nostalgic romp and refreshingly original in its own right.
For those not familiar, **The Good-Humoured Ladies** is based on the satirical novella "The Good-Humoured Ladies" by the Italian writer Carlo Goldoni. It's set in 18th century Venice. A tale of jealousy, romance and witty exchanges. The ballet has music by Domenico Scarlatti - this, I already knew. I am a big fan of Scarlatti's music. I had listened to his Sonatas extensively during my years as a student at the Royal Ballet School. But never did I imagine that this baroque music, typically used in instrumental solo contexts, could translate so seamlessly to a full ballet, creating a unique sound world that was both lively and intimate.
As the first notes of Scarlatti's Sonata K 8 began, the curtain rose, revealing the Venetian street, a beautifully imagined stage set painted in shades of golden sunlight. The colours evoked the warmth and light of Venice, a contrast to the cooler colours of the women's costumes which gave a refreshing air to the opening scene. I am not sure about the intended costume design, it must have changed significantly since the 1917 version, it is hard to believe it would have been so refreshing in a pre-Ballets Russes world. It looked fresh and clean in this 2023 iteration, and a departure from what we would now consider 'historical' costuming.
The opening scene felt somewhat traditional, a classic ballet scene depicting the everyday lives of these Venetian ladies and gentlemen. The first few minutes showed us gentle conversational choreography. But even here there was something engaging in how the choreography used Scarlatti's score. Each intricate melody was translated into precise and beautiful movement by the dancers, revealing the musicality within their core.
The scene began with two dancers taking centre stage. This was the lead ballerina and the soloist in the role of 'The Good-Humoured Lady'. They both caught my eye with the graceful elegance they carried themselves on stage. I have been studying choreography since my graduation, and this company is well known for their virtuosity, however, these two had something special in their ability to perform classical steps while maintaining such natural poise. It gave an illusion of ease while being very technically demanding, so important in achieving the spirit of the ballet and the tone set by the music.
However, there are several interesting innovations that came into play later on that are not traditionally expected from Scarlatti. I could not wait for what the choreography would offer. One was an amusing use of comedic characterisations, most of them wonderfully exaggerated, and some more understated. But there were so many elements within the choreography and how they built upon each other, I had no time to think about the finer detail. I was absorbed.
I was particularly fascinated by the sequence depicting the Carnival - how it blended a spectacle of a very traditional sort, including large-scale spectacle of swirling masked dancers but mixed in this sense of something very contemporary with elements of more modern expression in how it showcased individual personalities.
And as I was getting drawn deeper into this playful journey, it struck me how this ballet wasn't just about entertaining. It explored human relationships with remarkable subtlety and complexity. Through each choreographic motif and each step, we saw stories of love and heartbreak.
In particular, I found the role of the jealous character - portrayed by a dancer who has long been one of my favourites - absolutely enthralling. The emotions this dancer projected were palpable - their initial playful air to their bitter resentment when love was not returned.
However, in addition to the narrative and emotions of each character there was an added layer of humour to this, it wasn’t slapstick, rather it played on these very subtle but unexpected gestures, there were moments where the audience bursts out in laughter and applause as well, this combination of joy and thoughtfulness kept us engaged and fascinated.
Speaking of the performance of the dancer in the role of 'The Good-Humoured Lady'. Their performance stood out for its strength. I loved watching the combination of lightness and energy, I was in awe of how this dancer effortlessly transcended expectations through her performance and conveyed the character’s spirit through each and every movement.
Then there was the use of the set design, it gave this ballet its charm and made it such a success. The lighting on the stage brought the story to life. But there were moments where the set itself seemed to disappear allowing for a beautiful contrast between movement and the space the dancers occupied.
It was a unique combination of factors that came together to produce a magical artistic creation - but of course the choreography had to be credited for the success of the piece. I’d always known that Leonid Massine was a legend of ballet but until now I hadn’t fully appreciated how original his work is.
But perhaps one of the most remarkable aspects of The Good-Humoured Ladies was its ability to bridge different styles, in the second act. I've mentioned the contrast with Scarlatti, which is quite significant but what struck me the most was how this ballet effortlessly wove together neoclassical, elements of the modern and traditions of ballet in a way I had never seen before.
When I watched the dancers' movements I was reminded of those grand ballets I saw when I was a child - it felt very classical, yet within this was an undercurrent that reminded me of the work of choreographers I studied in university. I didn’t have the vocabulary back then to explain what I was seeing - I felt excited but couldn’t articulate why. This was the closest thing to seeing what I experienced back then.
In conclusion, **The Good-Humoured Ladies** was a masterpiece I will not forget - from the delightful choreography, Scarlatti's vibrant score and the extraordinary performance - every detail was well thought-out and made a powerful impact. The ballet gave a new perspective on classical music and its use in ballet.
**This production was not only a success on stage, but it reminded me why I was so inspired to be a dancer in the first place.**
As I left the theatre that evening, the melodies from the music and the images from the performance, replayed in my mind. It inspired me. And I am so glad that this masterpiece is now back on the stage - hopefully for many years to come.