My dream when I was a little girl was to become a ballerina. Despite the fact that I trained as a dancer for fifteen years, I have henceforth given up on that dream (and now aspire to become Linda Fargo). However, some of the greatest joy in my life still comes from ballet. Some of the fondest memories from my childhood involve me seeing ballets with my beloved grandmother, who took me to my first performance at the age of three, despite my mother insisting I was too young to appreciate it.
Having said that, I was overjoyed upon my arrival in Montreal to see they have a thriving ballet company here, Les Grands Ballets. I was even more thrilled when I saw that the Ballet L’Opéra National de Paris was coming here to Montreal to perform “Paquita” this October. Having already seen a stirring and incredible performance of “Leonce and Lena” last month, I was ready to be transported to a new world again. That’s what ballet does to me. It is my escape from midterms and homework and my too-tiny dorm and the mundaneness of the everyday. Ballet reminds me of the beauty in the world, while at the same time, giving me an excuse to get dressed up (not that I ever really need one).
On October 16, I attended the opening performance of “Paquita” by the Ballet L’Opéra National de Paris at the Salle Wilfred-Pelletier at Place des Arts. I have never seen “Paquita” before and I figured if this is the first time to see it, it might as well be performed by arguably the best ballet company in the world. I was not disappointed.
For starters, there was a live orchestra. To me, there is nothing more fabulous than seeing a performance with a live orchestra. The music seems to resonate itself into your being when the musicians are right in front of you, as opposed to a recording ringing irritatingly in your eardrum. From the moment the ornately painted scrim rose, I was thoroughly enchanted by the colors and movement that swirled intricately in front of my eyes.
If only for those brief two hours, there was only me in the audience, the music swelling around me, and the dancers on stage; nothing else in the world matters when I am experiencing a performance such as this one.
My favorite part of the show was most definitely the pas de trois (2 female dancers, 1 male) performed in the first act. The two female dancers were so perfectly in sync, yet each brought their own individuality to the movement. The male had the perfect juxtaposing strength in his movement to balance out their delicacy. The étoile performing as the title role, Amandine Albisson, astounded me with the fluidity of her movements, as well as her ability to convey emotion with even the slightest movement.
Beyond the artistry of the dancers themselves, the costumes were utterly heavenly. The first act was a sea of washed out primary colors, romantic tutus, and ribbons. For the men it was all about the incredibly fierce matador-style jackets (that I would’ve happily stolen to wear with a pair of black tuxedo pants and stilettos). The second act was a full serving of John Galliano’s 1998 Marchesa Casati for Christian Dior Haute Couture realness. It was awe-inspiring. With shimmering accents, full skirts, and the traditional stick-out tutu on Paquita, I was mesmerized.
As I exited the theatre, the program still clutched between my fingers, I was still in a daze. The music, costumes, and beautiful dancers on stage had intoxicated me. I will eventually come down from the fantasy ballet world buzzing around furiously in my mind. At the moment, I am left with a wanting feeling, only craving to be taken to that gorgeous place again and away from my textbooks. However, I realize the best thing to do is look on the bright side. It is only a couple months until I can be transported again.
Images taken by the author.