Oh, darling readers! It's Wednesday again, which means a fresh instalment of my adventures is fluttering your way! I'm still utterly buzzing from my weekend in Vienna – and my little pink tutu has practically pirouetted itself clean off! I've been wearing it everywhere – I mean, how can one resist such a stunning city with its enchanting history and vibrant culture? It was all just perfect for a ballerina’s getaway!
Before we delve into Vienna's fairytale delights, a quick hello from me! It’s Emma, your fellow twirling enthusiast, and this week’s adventures come to you from Derbyshire, where I’m home between performances. (I have the absolute best time hopping around, but there's something so comforting about slipping into my slippers and curling up with a cuppa in my little corner of the world).
Speaking of comfy slippers, those Vienna cobbles were brisk! (I can't even imagine how the ballerinas of yesteryear survived in their slippers – hats off to their strength and poise). But we shall tututu the details of that later – for now, imagine a pink tulle cloud wafting through the heart of Vienna – because that's exactly what my tutu and I did.
The Viennese Waltz & All Things Pink
As a proud advocate for tutus (of every shade imaginable, but pink especially!), it was so tempting to burst into the Vienna State Opera in full pink-tutu glory. Thankfully, a sense of decorum (and the slightly panicked stares of a few fellow theatregoers) steered me to embrace a more, shall we say, ‘evening attire’ approach – but just you wait, there are plenty of pink outfits coming your way in this blog, darlings!
Vienna’s State Opera has a grand history - you know, all those waltzing emperors - but we, of course, started with ‘Swan Lake’ – I just had to. The grandeur of the venue and the masterful ballet (especially the Corps de Ballet! oh, the poise!) were beyond words, but I'll attempt to express myself in a rather pink and poetic way (prepare for alliteration! It just feels right when one’s wearing a tutu)
The Vienna State Opera felt like a dream - there was a twirling ballet of graceful movements, stunning tutus in perfect shades of pale pink and lavender - all shimmering and sweeping beneath the crystal chandeliers, and all surrounded by that opulent velvet décor. Honestly, it felt pinkly perfect – just like in a classic ballet storybook! And just to make it completely fabulous, we had the added bonus of a very enthusiastic opera singer – I nearly leapt from my velvet-covered seat! It's funny, you never quite know what you are going to get when it comes to live performances – it adds such an incredible element of magic.
Tutu Time
There’s something incredibly magical about a ballet performance, even with the most predictable storyline – it just whisks you away! I’ve always been a hopeless romantic, and the music, the costumes, the dancers’ passion ( oh! those spins!), it all swirls together in a whirlwind of emotions that leave me breathless. I just wish we could bring back those fabulous long ballet dresses! Just imagine how amazing a pink tutu and a sweeping ballgown would look on stage, all twirling and flitting in a vibrant dance of joy!
And while we are talking about dance - what better time to reflect on the history of this incredible form of movement! I actually discovered an incredible exhibit on Vienna’s history of dance! (Yes, even a tutu enthusiast needs a touch of culture – though sometimes my own, more contemporary interpretation takes precedence). The Museum of Musical Performance showcased incredible exhibits about dance throughout the ages – there was gorgeous stage designs from various performances, costumes so intricate and beautiful, and even some fascinating ballet shoes dating back to the 18th century! (They did give the shoe a bit of a pointy shape… I think it took them until the 20th century to finally invent those proper pointes, and that took my very hard work and a whole lot of pliés!).
As I explored, it was amazing to see the progression of ballet costumes – you know, all those layered skirts and tiny shoes! sigh! But for me, it’s those beautiful tutus (which thankfully kept their essential design features), the graceful forms of the dance – the movement, the music… oh, I just love it! And yes, I must confess I'm a bit obsessed with those fabulous nineteenth-century pointe shoes - they were made of kidskin leather (who knew?) – they look utterly elegant, so very different to those modern, stiff pointe shoes we perform in. Though, it's good to know that we’re not too far removed from those early pointe shoe styles! I guess ballerinas like myself have always been striving for elegance and beauty.
*Shop Til You Drop... (Or Until Your Ballet Shoes Are On) *
Okay, time to transition from ballet shoes to designer pumps – because I also did some serious shopping in Vienna! Oh my, darling, this city truly is a fashion lover's paradise – with designer stores spilling out from cobbles and a whole lot of independent boutiques crammed into the chic alleyways, each with its own unique personality. I was mesmerized!
Honestly, my darling readers – shopping in Vienna is a little too enchanting! I even snagged this magnificent silk scarf in a shade of fuchsia so beautiful, it’s almost as beautiful as the color of my favourite tutu – just perfect to match those Parisian evening looks for my performance!
And as a fellow ballet enthusiast (it’s an incredible way of keeping fit!), I absolutely had to discover what the latest trends in Vienna’s dancewear are, and, oh my, those ladies are stylish.
But first things first, those Viennese boutiques! A little like finding treasure! I can still feel the swirling sensation of that first boutique in the Vienna Innenstadt area–it was just full of charming vintage clothes, some with exquisite vintage lace trim – honestly, my dear, you’ve never seen anything so exquisitely delicate!
And of course, Vienna was absolutely abuzz with pink. It was everywhere – in the flower boxes bursting with blushing roses outside the palaces and the pastel-hued café interiors, to the salmon-coloured cocktails I sipped ( oh! darling, I had the most delightful, sparkly pink one! – perfect for a tutu enthusiast!)… it felt like a magical fairytale dream.
Pink Tutu Travel
I made the most of Vienna's magical history – you know that imperial feeling that just wafts through the cobbled streets and palace gardens. Oh! I couldn’t resist venturing out of Vienna into the gorgeous surrounding countryside. My friend's grandfather (who just happens to be an award-winning, world-renowned horse rider – amazingly posh! he is the ultimate fashion-forward man - you really must have seen his riding outfit!) offered to take me out on his beautiful horses. Now, darling, what can I say? It’s so lovely to have a friend who is an absolute, total horse enthusiast!
Of course, this means nothing but my beautiful, long-flowing, pink tutu when I am exploring. What is a ballet dancer's life without the sheer magic of horse-riding through the Viennese meadows? ( I think this should be a permanent entry into all ballerina diaries, darling!).
After I was totally satisfied with all the magnificent horses and fabulous gallops through the Austrian meadows, I had such a gorgeous time exploring Vienna. There was, of course, a great deal of shopping and the most delightful ballet classes with some absolutely amazing dancers – but that’s a whole different post, darling readers. (I mean, can you really fit it all into a single blog? I don’t think my pink tutu has enough sparkles! but we’ll be sure to explore that in detail next week).
Speaking of exploration – I’ve also fallen in love with exploring cities on the back of a vintage motorbike! I must admit I had to bribe (or maybe persuade… it's just so tempting when it's a sleek, bright red, 1960’s bike!), a vintage bike enthusiast (another new amazing friend!), into giving me a magical whirl through Vienna – and just look at those photos, darling, it was absolutely dreamy! ( The hair did not look so great ( I think a lot of ballet buns and bobby pins flew free!), but I totally recommend the experience – it just felt so free – and that’s exactly what I think ballet is all about, darling.)
So, until next week, when my Vienna stories will continue…
Until next week!
XOXO Emma
www.pink-tutu.com
