A Symphony of Silks: A Review of the Week in Ballet Music
Oh, darling! What a week for ballet! The music has been as exquisite as a cascade of diamonds, each note a twinkling jewel illuminating the stories unfolding on stage. This week's symphony of silences and swells, pirouettes and pas de deux, has captivated this fashionably late ballerina. Let's take a twirl through the week's highlights!
The Royal Ballet's Swan Lake: A Featherlight Tchaikovsky
It began, my darlings, with a fluttering of wings, or should I say, a flurry of notes! Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake, a timeless classic, graced the Royal Opera House with an otherworldly aura. As the hauntingly beautiful "Dance of the Little Swans" shimmered on the stage, my heart skipped a beat. Each graceful, delicate movement seemed to translate Tchaikovsky's genius into something even more ethereal. My dear, the music was like the scent of a blooming rose - exquisite, poignant, and eternally enchanting.
Now, you know I love a good costume, and I simply must tell you about the principal ballerina's dress. A majestic, billowing white tulle skirt, it flowed like the waves of the Black Lake itself. And, oh! The perfect complement - a sleek, black leotard, like a velvet shadow against the luminescence of her white tutu. Such drama! A match made in ballet heaven, my darlings, simply divine.
London's Ballet Theatre's Romeo & Juliet: A Passionate, Heart-Stopping Stravinsky
Ah, love! It is the elixir of life, my dears, the driving force of a thousand dance steps! And what better example than Romeo and Juliet, performed this week at London's Ballet Theatre? The music, by Igor Stravinsky, a daring choice, filled the space with a fiery energy that truly reflected the passionate, whirlwind romance of Shakespeare's tragic tale.
Every chord was like a whispered confession of desire, the strings a heartbeat of yearning. Stravinsky's mastery, his ability to elevate love into something visceral, simply stunned me! The orchestra's virtuosity echoed the young lovers' struggles, the highs and lows of their affections mirrored in every flourish of their instruments. It was, quite simply, beautiful! You couldn't take your eyes away from the spectacle.
The English National Ballet's "Giselle" - A Romantic Journey of Music and Mayhem
This ballet, darlings, always breaks my heart. The English National Ballet's production of "Giselle," Adolphe Adam's masterpiece, transported me to a fairytale realm of ethereal beauty and harrowing drama. The ethereal melodies in Act I - a melancholic sigh against a background of pastoral serenity - set the stage for Giselle's tragic destiny. You simply could not help but weep at the sheer elegance of Adam's score!
I do love me a good pas de deux, and this performance had a particularly stirring one. The choreography perfectly captured Giselle's yearning love and, later, the chilling beauty of her ghostly dance, fueled by the symphony's haunting melody. It was truly the "je ne sais quoi" of ballet: beautiful, devastating, and utterly enthralling.
A Spotlight on New Music: "La Sylphide" by Johan Sjostrom
I love discovering a new jewel for my musical repertoire, and this week, my dears, that jewel is Johan Sjostrom's "La Sylphide". This young composer, a prodigy of sound, reimagined the classical ballet "La Sylphide" in a fresh, invigorating, and oh so incredibly stylish manner! It was an absolute triumph of originality!
His score incorporated a thrilling blend of the traditional and the avant-garde, like the delicate petals of a rare flower whispering to the stars. The dance, beautifully choreographed to his score, felt like an exploration of both the physical and the metaphysical, the delicate whispers of the wind and the rhythmic beat of a heart longing to soar. This, my darlings, was a "ballet of the future" - an experience that lingered like a warm caress even after the last note faded.
Behind the Scenes: Ballet Fashion in Focus
Now, any stylish ballerina knows that a great costume is like a blank canvas, ready to be filled with the emotion of the music. The tutu, that symbol of grace and ethereal beauty, is an indispensable part of the ballet aesthetic. But it takes a lot more than fluttering tulle to create a winning costume, don't you agree?
I always tell the girls - find your signature look, be it a fierce, flowing skirt like a wave in the sea, or a fitted leotard that clings like a second skin. This week I saw some exquisite examples -
- For the Swan Lake performance, one young ballerina wore a stunning crimson leotard. It complemented the ethereal white tulle perfectly, the contrast reminiscent of a scarlet flower blooming amidst white snow.
- And then, the Giselle production! That dress! A stunning confection of silk, layers of gauzy tulle, a swirling cloud of pearlescent color. The ultimate testament to the beauty of a dress, don't you think, my darlings?
And, let's not forget the pointe shoes! These are a dancer's greatest treasure. Made from pure savoir faire - a blend of precision and artistry - they transform the dancer's foot, making it seem as if they're barely touching the ground! As beautiful as any gem!
But my absolute favorite - the most darling thing - was the new line of leotards introduced this week at the Dance Fashion Exhibition. I simply fell head over heels. They came in a rainbow of colors, each one crafted from a luxurious silk blend, as smooth and delicate as a silk rose petal! There was a beautiful shade of pink - "Rose Petal" they called it - perfect to compliment any ballerina's tutu. My heart skipped a beat - I'd need it for my next rehearsal!
Dance your way into the weekend
I always like to remind my dears to move, to swirl, to find the rhythm in your own hearts, like the beautiful symphony that plays throughout the ballet world. It's time to embrace the graceful movement, the elegant postures, the powerful strides - the spirit of ballet, it's not confined to the stage.
This week's musicians, the dancers, and all those behind the scenes have wove a magic spell with their artistry and passion. Let it inspire you to take a deep breath, straighten your posture, and twirl into the weekend. Be strong, be beautiful, be like a beautiful ballerina.