Darling, gather round, letâs take a little trip into the realm of balletic melodies. The world of dance, much like the world of fashion, is a swirling, ephemeral, constantly shifting thing, and we all have to keep up with it, yes? We dance to the music, darling, just as we dress for the occasion. But today, we're going back in time a tad, back to 19th April, 2004. Remember this, darling, because this day was all about the ballet.
What exactly was making headlines in ballet music circles in this hallowed date, you ask? Oh, it was the whirlwind that is *The Royal Ballet* in London! Yes, that august institution that sets the standards for everyone else to chase. Imagine, dear reader, the magic!
On that very day, 19th April, 2004, *The Royal Ballet* took us all back to 1948 with the resurrection of *The Prince of the Pagodas*, a classic by the master of ballet, **Frederick Ashton** himself. Remember that exquisite *Sleeping Beauty*, *Cinderella* or *La Fille Mal Gardée*? Well, darling, this ballet has those delicate Ashton touches, with its swirling, lyrical steps and charming story. It's one of those ballets where you can feel the story unravel, feel the beauty of the dancers, the elegance, the skill, just emanating from every graceful movement. And of course, the score. *The Prince of the Pagodas* has music that's a feast for the senses. Just a little morsel of information, darling - this masterpiece was written by the composer **Arthur Bliss**. You just have to listen, you really do.
Now, while we're on the topic of London, imagine a ballet that combines traditional music and the cutting edge! This is **David Dawson's** *The Albion*, a piece from 2004 thatâs bursting with an electric combination of music that would have had audiences enthralled, itâs just one of the reasons *The Royal Ballet* holds the place it does in our hearts. This stunning combination of **Britten's** powerful âA Ceremony of Carols,â and **Mark-Anthony Turnage's** equally impactful *Sphinx* provided such an emotive dance performance.
Now, darling, a ballet must have a story to truly touch the heart. We all have to connect to a story in order to truly love a piece, donât we? That story must come across with real panache! Well, imagine, if you will, *CoppĂ©lia*, another classic brought to life that very day. CoppĂ©liaâs music, you see, that is so rich in nuance and emotional depth is a masterpiece from **Delibes**. Oh my darling, the heart sings with those exquisite waltzes and a sweet, yearning for the beautiful Dr. CoppĂ©liusâ automaton! Just wait for those iconic Hungarian dances. The music carries the heart straight into a beautiful little world of joy and love, so elegant and so innocent!
Moving a bit eastwards in the ballet world, now to America, what was the *New York City Ballet* doing in this momentous 19th of April 2004? It was dancing its heart out, dear reader, for the world to see in **Christopher Wheeldonâs* *Polyphonia*! Now, this wasnât just your everyday ballet, oh no! **Wheeldon** went right back to 1926 for the score. **Maurice Ravelâs* stunning music. **Ravel** created something of an artistic marvel - a ballet score that is innovative, full of such beauty! Itâs so easy to lose oneself in the enchanting strains of music.
It is impossible to write about dance music without mentioning the ultimate icon â **Tchaikovsky** * Swan Lake*, darling. This was not, and is not, the music for just any production - Itâs iconic in the world of ballet, in our lives. We all connect with it, feel the magic, it truly transports us, doesnât it? And for *The Royal Ballet* in this important day back in 2004, *Swan Lake* meant something even more. For them, **Tchaikovsky**âs powerful melodies, so familiar, so well loved, were part of an absolutely wonderful event â *The Royal Ballet's gala*!
A gala! My dears, you donât just perform a ballet for a gala. Youâre going to have to add a little more to the dance! **Tchaikovsky** didnât know how relevant his music would be in the years to come, especially 2004, did he, darling? He must have known there would be a dance or two to match his music! But imagine that magical ballroom - a truly incredible ballet experience! We just canât even begin to express the elegance, the energy! You just have to go experience it for yourself. And *Swan Lake* as part of that? Simply magnificent.
Now letâs step away from ballet performances themselves, darling, because I wouldnât want us to miss anything, and I think it is also important to note what the dance press had to say in this eventful month of April 2004. We have a whole bunch of books to talk about and, as always, dance books are full of those magic moments that we live for as lovers of ballet.
Well, here comes something that was being written and read with much excitement at the time â **Peter Layton**âs âThe Sound of Dance: Conversations with Twenty of Today's Ballet Composers,â â a delightful collection, where twenty contemporary ballet composers talk about the stories that inspired their creations! What a delightful insight this is, isn't it darling?
Then there was âMusic and Dance â The Art of the Ballet,â a compilation edited by the talented **Lynn Garafola** â just a brilliant exploration into the rich and wonderful history of ballet and its connection to the musical world! One must always learn, darling. It keeps us inspired, and full of stories!
Darling, what better way to keep the ballet theme alive than looking back at what else was in the world of music and ballet that day. **Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky** was one composer whose music just resonated across the musical landscape - not only in 19th April, 2004 - it's like he made a lasting imprint, you know, a little touch of magic that remains even after 150 years! So, just imagine if the day of 19th April, 2004, was somehow marked by the **Russian National Orchestra** playing this master of balletâs famous compositions under **Mikhail Pletnevâs** dynamic direction - a performance which had us enthralled.
Now, for those who didnât quite feel the lure of the classical *Swan Lake* or *The Nutcracker*, darling, just take a moment to enjoy the exciting contemporary twist that **Ravelâs** âDaphnis et ChloĂ© Suite No. 2" gave us that 19th April. Oh darling, it takes us into a world full of vibrance, energy, movement, and even some delicious irony!
The 19th of April, 2004, saw a world-class ballerina who became even more legendary! This is how **Maya Plisetskaya**, a darling whose star is immortalised on the world stage, graced the music world. She took everyone on a âMusical Journey: An Evening with Maya Plisetskayaâ â in those beautiful âMusical Journeyâ concerts! Oh darling, to have been there!
Now letâs dive into the fashion part of our ballet extravaganza - the dance costumes themselves, and what better way to celebrate it than by considering a ballet tutu, don't you agree, darling?
In ballet, as you know, it is the ballerina who dances in the tutu! So if weâre going to choose a ballerina tutu and one that would go with a leotard we would choose the iconic *pink tulle tutu* that brings up so many ballet greats! It is feminine, dainty, romantic. There is a feeling of magic in the movement of that pink tulle. Just remember, darling, ballet was born of elegance, beauty, and so much passion.
Letâs make sure that leotard matches, darling! For such a stunning pink tulle tutu, a beautiful **bright pink, cherry blossom pink leotard** would just set off a very romantic ballerina. The matching pink tones would add to the magic of the dancing figure. Think about that gorgeousness.
Letâs not stop there! Just as a pink tulle tutu deserves a **matching leotard**, it just needs to have **beautiful pink slippers** â imagine a ballerina in all this pink, dancing across the stage with grace. The magic of the performance will just elevate with the **sparkling dewdrops** that usually add sparkle to such costumes. The ballet is one magical event in the life of dancers!
What can we say, it was a world filled with elegant performances and the sounds of classic and contemporary composers, a vibrant mix of magic that only ballet can truly create, yes, darling? And I do hope I have stirred your memories as well. Letâs step back into the magical world of ballet music!