Hello darlings! Welcome back to Pink-Tutu.com, your one-stop shop for all things pink, twirly, and historically fabulous! This month, my trusty steed Magic Meg and I are whisking you away to April 4th, 1730 – buckle up, you twirling dreamboats, for a ballet adventure that's fit for a pink tutu princess!
Now, you might be wondering, what was happening in the world of ballet on this particular date in 1730? Well, let me tell you, it's quite a tale! The 1730s were a fascinating period for ballet. Imagine this: the world was starting to embrace the new dance forms emerging from the courts of France, and Italy. These new styles, oh, they were captivating! Think about leaps, bounding across the stage, delicate arabesques that spoke of love and sorrow, and powerful bourrees – everything we adore in ballet today was just starting to bloom.
I must say, dear readers, 1730 wasn't quite as overflowing with pink as today's ballet world! But the ballet was getting bigger and bolder, full of storytelling, just like the shows I love now! Back in those days, they had operas and theatrical productions woven with breathtaking dancing that drew huge crowds in Paris and the palaces of Europe. Can you just picture the grandeur?! I can't resist imagining it all dressed in the most wonderful pink silks, can you?
Speaking of imagination, how about I introduce you to this month's ballet time-travel adventure, just for you! Imagine a cobblestone street, sunshine dappling through the leaves, a lovely little village square where the cobbles shimmered with the light, a cafe with delicate pastries in the window, and…a theatre just down the road! The windows are ablaze with warm light, a buzz of excitement vibrates from the crowds bustling toward the doors. This is our ballet haven for today – the Teatro di San Cassiano in Venice, it's been built just a few years prior, a dream come true for a ballet-mad soul like myself!
Our journey began this morning in my home, in the beautiful rolling hills of Derbyshire, England. The air was so crisp and clean, it felt magical already, as though something amazing was about to happen. And as always, it was. Magic Meg, a pink shimmering Shire horse with a mane like spun gold and hooves of sparkling gold, was ready. She whinnied a greeting and my heart soared as we launched ourselves into time – we galloped across the centuries, the countryside blurring into history, and with a final spark and whizz, we landed, right in Venice. Oh, how beautiful Venice is, even back in 1730! It’s like stepping into a painting! I have to tell you, Venice, it is my favourite spot for our time-travel adventures, darling. The architecture! The cobbled alleyways, the canals – it just sings "opera!" – even without the singing, which of course they did back then! It's where it all began!
This year marks a real shift, you see, my dears. In the ballet world, the Teatro di San Cassiano in Venice has just opened, dedicated exclusively to opera. Talk about dedication! And guess what? That opera, that gorgeous spectacle they perform? It features a brand-new type of entertainment: ballets d'action. They're called ballets d'action because they weave dance into a storyline. How fantastically modern!
They even say the ballets d'action have some truly fabulous dancing. They are telling the stories through a combination of dance, movement, and dramatic storytelling – all of which we absolutely adore in ballet today, don't we? The Italians have truly outdone themselves with the way they have crafted these theatrical ballet performances.
Right now, inside the theatre, we could be watching Merope, a ballet based on the legend of the Queen of Ethiopia. Imagine! It must be incredible! This beautiful theatrical ballet brings Greek mythology and tragic heroines to the stage and incorporates an innovative type of scenery: movable, shifting sets. Now you see a palace, a moment later you are in the open air! How imaginative is that! This Merope ballet features scenes of passion, heartache, and triumph, played out through incredible movement – such powerful and moving theatre, don't you think? I’m sure, if the dancers had pink tutus, it would be just like being there today!
And that, dears, brings us to a key point about ballet back then. Now, let me ask you a question. Have you ever wondered about ballet costumes back then? Let me tell you, back then, their dancing garments weren't anything like we imagine today. There wasn't really such a thing as a ballet "costume" as we know it! You could see a nobleman dressed in a coat, trousers, and his sword! But imagine! The most stylish Parisian ladies? Well, their gowns are everything – ruffles, laces, a veritable symphony of colour! I must confess, I’d give anything for a trip back in time, to grab just one of those decadent 1730s dresses.
Imagine them dancing – those ballets d'action performed on that elegant, grand stage in Venice! All of this - the elaborate stories, the captivating music, and those graceful movements on the stage are truly, a visual feast for the senses, don’t you think? Now, if we could only add some pink tutus, darling! But even back in these "olden days" (as the historians call them!), ballet was making waves. It was just the beginning, but I must tell you, my dears, that’s exactly when things were most exciting, wasn’t it?
As always, darlings, I wish you all the twirliest and most pink-filled adventures! Until next time, keep those tutus twirling!
Lots of love, Emma xx
