One of the most beloved composers and masters in Russia is Peter Tchaikovsky, or Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. He has composed beautiful masterpieces in many areas during the Romantic era, including ballet, symphonies, operas and chamber music. He has also written some of most familiar and popular concert music, among them the ballets Sleeping Beauty, The Nutcracker, and The Black Swan, the 1812 Overture and his First Piano Concerto.
Studying at the Saint Petersburg Conservatory, his Western training separated him from the nationalist movement music had taken in Russia at the time. By the end of the 20th century, despite critical dismissals of his music earlier, position as a influential composer was secured and his reputation was even honoured by that of the Tsar.
Personally, Tchaikovsky is one of my favourite composers, and it seemed to me that the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra (CPO) and the Alberta Ballet was the perfect feast of sight and sound. The intensely beautiful movements made by the talented Alberta Ballet dancers, their silhouette dancing gracefully overhead the dancer themselves, as brilliant bright spotlights focused on them. The CPO is often the musical ensemble accompanying the ballet dancers regular performances and usually perform in a pit underneath the dancers, but this evening they shared the same stage. They were able to gaze upon the dazzling and breathtaking movements of the ballet dancers as well. It was truly a spectular ‘taste of the arts’ from the special guests.
| Tchaikovsky | Selections from The Sleeping Beauty | |
| Tchaikovsky | Selections from The Nutcracker | |
| Tchaikovsky | Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 |
The first movement were selections from The Sleeping Beauty, a familiar fairy tale of Princess Aurora, who, at the time of her birth, is visited by six fairies whom bestow gifts onto her. They are interrupted by the wicked fairy, Carabosse, whom is outraged at the king for uninviting her to the ceremony. She declares her curse: Princess Aurora will prick her finger and die on her sixteenth birthday. But a good fairy assures her she will not die; she will indeed prick her finger, but will sleep for a 100 years or be awakened by the kiss of a prince.
Most memorably, the ballet dancers perform scenes from Act I, Princess Aurora’s Sixteenth birthday. The stage is brightly lit with the boisterous dress of pink dancers and a solo light blue dancer, performing an amazing display of technical and emotional choreography. A wonderful score accompanies the festivities, as waltzes danced by the villagers are underway, and receive four dashing young suitors with their gifts of stunning roses. The four suitors were dressed in incredible baroque dress, puffed sleeves and were colourful and richly decorated. The atmosphere of merriment and joy were immensely palpable, however, giving way to the anticipation of the disguised spindle as a gift from the wicked fairy.
The second act immediately drew my ears to the fantastic and joyfully familiar pieces of the various Dances of The Nutcracker. The CPO were not joined by Alberta Ballet, and played great tremors of suspense and fire and of elegance and serenity. Incredibly executed, it was amazing to see lavishly painted ballet dancers jumping and twirling to the smooth and graceful interpetation by the orchestra.
Lastly, Serenade for Strings in C Major, Op. 48 was to be an entirely new, but invigorating experience of Tchaikovsky’s work to me. The beginning of the piece ushered grace and relaxation into the audience, as the passionate and pleasant melody of the song curled into the ears. The spotlights painted the bodies of the ballet dancers a brilliant baby blue, the ballet dancers radiating a soft illuminating glow. Donned in stunningly gorgeous pale blue gowns, the series of turns and jumps swirled the soft fabric to give the impression of light feathered wings. The atmosphere of the dancers was removed from time and space; the elegant movements of the dancers seemed to extend and linger. Joined by excellent male partners, the exquisite movements faded into a single movement across the stage, the blurred and parellel steps of each dancer’s precision of step of the excellent choreography.
Thank you to the CPO for providing seats to this wonderful performance! WeiJia and I immensely enjoyed the delightful treat of the cohesion of the CPO with Alberta Ballet, savouring the grand effects of costume and lights, and the dancing shadows against the Jack Singer Concert Hall. I highly recommend for all ages, young and old, to come out and watch an upcoming live performance of the exhilarating CPO!
