Beauty, Embodied and Ennobled: Four Memorable Performances

June 26, 2024 at 4:51 pm (Ballet)

First, Romanian Fold Dances, transcribed by Bela Bartok and performed by the Rajko Orchestra in a Budapest synagogue:

As well being a composer, Bela Bartok (1881-1945) was also an ethnomusicologist. Here is one of Bartok’s original recordings of these folk dances:

(I have to say, that even after these many years of internet searching, I am still astonished by what you can find online.)

I can’t help but believe that Bartok would have loved this performance by the Rajko Orchestra.
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Romeo and Juliet, danced by William Bracewell and Francesca Hayward of The Royal Opera Ballet. This performance was filmed live, outdoors in a recreated setting in Budapest.

This is the first time I’ve ever seen this part of the ballet – usually referred to as the balcony scene – performed outdoors. It’s brilliant, I think, the way the breeze ruffles the clothing of these beautiful young dancers. The score by Sergei Prokofiev is, of course, gorgeous.

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The Grand Pas de Deux from Don Quixote, danced by Evgenia Obraztsova and Kimin Kim. Astonishing dancing by these two. Kimin Kim’s gravity-defying leaps are a wonder to behold!

The score is by Ludwig Minkus.

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Finally, the Adagio from Spartacus. Music by Aram Khatchaturian. The performers are Anna Nikulina and Mikhail Lobukhin.

Surely this is the art of dance brought to perfection!