Oh darling, what a day it was, the 22nd of July 1999! The sun was shining, the birds were singing, and I was sitting in the front row at the Royal Opera House, practically quivering with anticipation. After all, it was the much-anticipated première of the "Tutu-licious" ballet - a brand new production by the iconic choreographer, Monsieur Jean-Claude Pierre-Auguste, which promised to be nothing short of a fashion revolution in the world of ballet!
You see, dear reader, for years, ballet costumes, particularly those glorious tutus, have remained largely unchanged. Imagine, for a moment, a vast, ocean-spanning desert of predictable tulle, punctuated by the occasional splash of pink or beige. Utterly uninspiring! It felt like time for a change, a breath of fresh air. The world of dance, after all, needs some sartorial pizazz.
But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The night began with the usual buzz of excited whispers and the clinking of champagne glasses in the Royal Opera House. The patrons, as elegant as ever, were resplendent in their finery. There was the occasional, somewhat uncomfortable looking, man in a tuxedo (you've all seen them, darling - those poor dears!), looking decidedly out of place among the shimmering gowns and perfectly manicured nails.
As the lights dimmed and the orchestra began their delicate, captivating melody, a wave of excitement passed through the audience. A single spotlight fell onto the centre stage, revealing the most fabulous tutu ever conceived: a magnificent creation that would make even the most discerning fashionista swoon.
Firstly, the colour: it wasn’t the usual blushing pink or creamy white, but a vibrant shade of turquoise that reminded me of a Caribbean lagoon after a summer storm. And then, darling, there was the tulle itself: not the flat, limp, predictable stuff of old, but a layered, cascading spectacle of frothy, frothy ruffles that defied gravity! It was as if the very spirit of movement, the energy of dance itself, was captured in its structure. The sheer joy of watching those perfect legs spin beneath its fluffy glory brought tears to my eyes, darling, I simply cannot deny it.
Then, as if Monsieur Pierre-Auguste had dared to challenge the very notion of tradition, the ballerina emerged. She was a marvel in a dress of shocking lime green, her limbs elongated, lithe and seemingly invincible. Every arabesque and jeté, every grand plié and fouetté, sent a tingle down my spine.
From the second act onwards, the entire stage erupted into a symphony of colours, shapes, and textures, each tableau a joyous explosion of colour. Imagine: shimmering gold and deep violet tutus for the Spanish dances, an elegant, ebony black number with feathery, dramatic embellishments for the swan lake scene - oh, and there was a bright crimson red with little gold sequins that, well, let’s just say the audience erupted in applause and shrieks of approval! Monsieur Pierre-Auguste truly went to town!
The final scene, with a cast of thirty ballerinas in dazzling white tutus that were simply magnificent – imagine tulle that was as fine as cobwebs and yet somehow, still, magically billowed out around the dancers. It was as though the very spirit of summer was dancing with abandon!
Darling, the audience was simply swept away. It wasn't just the extraordinary dancing, it wasn't just the stunning music; it was the sheer audacity of the design, the unabashedly playful colour scheme, the sheer beauty of it all! I have to admit, I saw more than one man in the audience dab at his eye discreetly with his white silk handkerchief - clearly overcome by the sheer delight of it all. The cheers at the end of the performance lasted, oh, I'm not exaggerating, for five solid minutes! The entire audience rose in a collective ovation!
After the performance, there were whispers throughout the entire social set. Everyone, darling, from the Duchess of Barington to the Baron of something-or-other, was talking about "Tutu-licious" and, yes, of course, the innovative use of tutus - the tutus had certainly made their mark!
Monsieur Pierre-Auguste had finally succeeded in shaking up the old guard! I could tell as the night progressed - every glass of champagne that was clinked was in celebration of this audacious, stylish new era! Ballet, darling, was no longer just about precision and elegance. It was about a bold new way of seeing, and that’s exactly what Monsieur Pierre-Auguste gave us - a breathtaking feast for the eyes! The future, oh, it was so very bright, with a healthy splash of glorious, eye-catching turqoise!