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smallhobbitSM and I spent a couple of days in London just before the New Year. We came home on New Year's Eve, rather than watching the firework spectacular, which might have been fun, but I suspect it was as good watching it on the television and then being able to go to bed rather than spending hours getting back.
I saw The Car Man, which is a Matthew Bourne ballet a couple of years ago, and when I noticed Cinderella, also by Matthew Bourne, was being staged at Sadler's Wells while we were in London I suggested to SM that we go. The ballet is set during the London blitz in 1940, and has little of the traditional trappings of Cinderella - no pumpkin coach or white mice, for instance - but there is still a lost shoe. Cinderella remains the poor relation, but Prince Charming is a wounded airman. The music is by Prokofiev, which suited the timeframe very well - much better than a more fairy tale version by say Tchaikovsky. We both really enjoyed it, although didn't agree as to whether Cinderella and her prince were together in the end, the way a proper fairy tale would finish (Me), or whether this was all part of her dream (SM). It didn't matter, as we were both satisfied with our own versions of the outcome.
The following morning, SM went to sing Christmassy music at St Martin's in the Fields, and I followed him in later. We met at the Victoria & Albert Museum where we saw the Opera: Passion, Power and Politics exhibition. It's a multi-sensory exhibition, for which the visitor wears headphones to hear various opera extracts whilst walking round seven different sections showing the way opera progressed. I found it very interesting, despite not being a great opera fan, and we both learnt a lot.
Then, having time to kill before our evening theatre trip, we went to the National Gallery to see a free exhibition: Drawn in Colour: Degas from the Burrell. SM thought I might find it interesting, since a number of the pictures were drawn in pastels. Surprisingly, knowing a little about the material did help, and I got some ideas, although I am most certainly not a star of impressionism.
I saw The Car Man, which is a Matthew Bourne ballet a couple of years ago, and when I noticed Cinderella, also by Matthew Bourne, was being staged at Sadler's Wells while we were in London I suggested to SM that we go. The ballet is set during the London blitz in 1940, and has little of the traditional trappings of Cinderella - no pumpkin coach or white mice, for instance - but there is still a lost shoe. Cinderella remains the poor relation, but Prince Charming is a wounded airman. The music is by Prokofiev, which suited the timeframe very well - much better than a more fairy tale version by say Tchaikovsky. We both really enjoyed it, although didn't agree as to whether Cinderella and her prince were together in the end, the way a proper fairy tale would finish (Me), or whether this was all part of her dream (SM). It didn't matter, as we were both satisfied with our own versions of the outcome.
The following morning, SM went to sing Christmassy music at St Martin's in the Fields, and I followed him in later. We met at the Victoria & Albert Museum where we saw the Opera: Passion, Power and Politics exhibition. It's a multi-sensory exhibition, for which the visitor wears headphones to hear various opera extracts whilst walking round seven different sections showing the way opera progressed. I found it very interesting, despite not being a great opera fan, and we both learnt a lot.
Then, having time to kill before our evening theatre trip, we went to the National Gallery to see a free exhibition: Drawn in Colour: Degas from the Burrell. SM thought I might find it interesting, since a number of the pictures were drawn in pastels. Surprisingly, knowing a little about the material did help, and I got some ideas, although I am most certainly not a star of impressionism.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 08:30 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 08:37 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-01 08:39 pm (UTC)I would love to see Swan Lake as well. Would love it so much. If only I could find some way to get over there...
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Date: 2018-01-02 03:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-02 11:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2018-01-02 08:54 pm (UTC)I did try to watch Cinderella when it was televised over Christmas but I just wasn't in the mood for it so I'll have to try and it again at some point. I'm thrilled that you enjoyed it though.
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Date: 2018-01-02 09:10 pm (UTC)I knew Cinderella was on television, but avoided it. I'm never very taken with ballet on screen.