So… I am a stupid big fan of classical music.
When I was younger, Mr. Johann Sebastian Bach’s music had my heart and I could only dream of composing like Antonio Vivaldi one day. But sometimes dreams stay only just like that and the fact is I’m quite happy with that. Because every day is a joy to listen to them and still feel amazed.
Saying this, there are loads of other composers I like, and nowadays, with epic classical orchestral soundtracks, one never really gets tired of the music genre. (Cof cof cof, in my humble opinion)
A week ago it was announced that Cork City Ballet Company was bringing to Cork Opera House the famous Swan Lake, directed by Alan Foley. I can’t really explain where my head went here… I love Tchaikovsky and his romanticism. I love ballet has the dance but also the performance, if that makes sense… I won’t be going to all the ballets, but I mean, this ballet is a classic, a must-see!
I decided to go, I actually decided to put on a dress for the first time in months and indeed I did not regret it!
I went on the very first day of “the season”. Once again, I knew the story, I love ballet but I do not consider myself a super connoisseur of the art.
The original piece can last up to 4 hours, this one lasted for 1.50 minutes, having only one intermission, and from what I could tell there were only two acts, or maybe parts of the original acts were mixed into only two. I think the simple scenarios were quite beautiful and suited for such a small venue. I always think that Cork Opera House seems small but once you’re there it is quite big! It took me a minute to come down from my excitement of “Oh wow, how lucky am I right now?” to start getting into the show’s flow. But once I got in…. I got in.
It was honestly beautiful, a part of me wanted the show to last a bit more. Saying this, the crowd was quite young to my surprise (says the 80-year-old lady in me) so I guess not being as big could have been on purpose for the target public (?) The Joker from first to last appearance felt like a little snuggle, a happy snuggle! His expression while dancing was on point and all the movement seemed so effortless. Odette/Odile, Prince Siegfried and Von Rothbart… they were just very very good. On a personal note, I do think the evil Baron was my favourite. I really like the expression or the intention in his dance. Looking at him it felt quite wavy. I don’t think this makes sense in anyone’s head except mine, but I felt like he was always moving forward, even when his sleeve was removed in battle and he was going to lose his quest. Even how he lay down on the floor. Something in his dance made me feel like he was still moving, even when still. The choreography was very well prepared and adapted to the space and dancers. Some patterns of movement were just quite hypnotizing.
And it was quite refreshing, from what it seemed to me, that the end had a twist! Good ol’ Odette ended up surviving (I think, I really do!) A part of me was quite excited to see the portrayal of the death of the swan, but do you know what, life right now is so mad to everyone, there’s so much change in the world, and that doesn’t mean that it’s all for the better, so why can’t Odette live? It would be wonderful if some of the nowadays tragedies could actually have a happy ending where love and happiness prevail.
On the overall, I was very happy to have the opportunity to see this piece. Wasn’t what I expected, but I don’t think it could ever be, from such a build-up I had.