Hey all you lovely pink tutu-loving darlings! It's your girl Emma here, back again from another time-travelling adventure, this time with a delightful little jaunt to Paris. This month, we're hopping back to December 12th, 1736 - what a delightful day for a ballet premiere!
Let me just say, Magic Meg was positively prancing as we took to the cobbled streets of Paris! Imagine, all those years ago and such vibrant energy buzzing through the city, especially at the theatre. As a big theatre buff, I always get a little shiver of excitement knowing that the history of theatre performance is in every single stone, building, and cobbled path you can see around you.
This was the grand premiere of a piece called "Le Triomphe de l'Amour," composed by the esteemed Jean-Philippe Rameau. The performance took place at the ThĆ©Ć¢tre du Marais, a majestic theatre known for its lavish and colourful stage productions. The Marais district itself was like something out of a fairy tale. A magical mix of shops and cafes buzzing with life - the sort of places I could happily lose hours exploring, looking at the shops brimming with fabulous fabric and feathers!
Stepping into the Theatre, my goodness! What an explosion of colour, energy, and vibrant artistry! Just like today, the whole scene seemed so electric! My leather rucksack started getting very full very quickly. A small embroidered fan from the audience, a sketch from a student's copy of the choreography (apparently dancing back then wasnāt just all about leaps and pirouettes, they actually did things called 'demi-plonge'!), and some rather stunning programmes for the ballet. Itās always incredible to see how ballet programs from hundreds of years ago look so similar to modern-day programmes, just minus the sponsorship!
Whatās even more incredible, though, is that this premiere happened less than 10 years after King Louis XIV - the Sun King - banned the entire tradition of professional dance. But here it was back in full swing, showing what resilience and love of the art can do! That sort of passionate defiance gives me strength, and truly Iām so inspired by this incredible group of people!
Speaking of dancers, the French were certainly dancing their hearts out in 1736! In my opinion, a performance always works better with some true flair and dramatic expressions - which these ballerinas certainly had. It really is something so beautiful, watching movement in ballet unfold; such graceful transitions from one expression to the next! And Iām sure all you pink tutu lovers can already guess that the ballet was quite a success. They gave the lead ballerina a bouquet of flowers! The audience loved her performance - I saw quite a few gentlemen wiping away a happy tear. You'd be hard pressed to find a dancer, from this period to our own times, who doesnāt absolutely relish being given a bouquet of flowers by an adoring audience, wouldnāt you agree?
Now, hereās the truly inspiring bit! Even back then, audiences were really going to great lengths for the latest ballet styles. That little book in my backpack was so incredible - it's full of illustrations of ballerinasā costumes. So much incredible embroidery! This particular ballet seems to have been inspired by Greek and Roman Mythology - I absolutely loved the little cupids fluttering about the stage! And I was absolutely blown away by their beautiful use of āRococoā - such fantastic patterns and shapes on every aspect of the costumes! That style is always such a feast for the eyes. You can see why they're still in style even today! I simply had to collect a sketch of the lead ballerina's costume, all billowing silk, elaborate trimmings, and with just a dash of sparkle ā so very Rococo! This really is the beauty of the time, wouldn't you say? You can really see how they inspired later ballerinas and we can still appreciate that stunning silhouette!
So you see, darling readers, 1736 had a lot in common with our world! From the passion of the dancers to the elegance of the audience, thereās such a beautiful connection between then and now - something that really does tug at my heart. Even after Iād tucked that incredible bouquet into my rucksack and bid farewell to the wonderful Parisian audience, Magic Meg and I had to make a little detour into the fabric markets of Paris - because itās always the perfect time to gather up some beautiful, blush-toned silks. You simply never know when you'll need another fabulous pink tutu, do you?
Iām signing off for now, my darlings! If youāre looking for a fabulous pink tutu (just like the ones I wore when time-travelling to Paris) for yourself, you can find everything from silk and satin to vintage delights over on our new store, www.pink-tutu.com. If you happen to be around Derbyshire this month, feel free to pop in and see me during one of my many dance performances at the local theatre! It will be a real pleasure to share my passion for ballet and of course, to get everyone wearing a pink tutu! See you all next month for another fabulous adventure through time!
With love and sparkles,
Emma x
