Grigorovich and the secrets of night

by Gwen Herat

The very mention of Russian Ballet conjures a magical effect on all those who love ballet and are ardent fans, students and teachers of this fine art. Those who made Russian ballet happen are held in high esteem like guardians watchful upon its existence over the centuries and who are responsible for the spectacular ballet we wee today.

Thanks to those devoted choreographers who have over the years strived hard and passed it down to us. Among such wondrous directors, today I am focussed on Yuri Grigorovich who without doubt is responsible for bringing together the classicism with passion and fire. He has joined the past with the present and let ballet speak out his devotion. Life comes across in The Golden Age in the formation, and play along with many colours of different forces. Yet, the opposite forces come on like a symphony moving against the light and no one but Grigorovich can manipulate such effects.

Natural sentiments

There is a surge of natural sentiments and the dance is full of folklore and here the world is doomed and condemned. In Act Two of the ballet this is brilliantly displayed in the opening scene.

Two dancers from the Golden Age in spectacular movements choreographed by Grigorovich to the music of Shostakovich.

The dance flows through different parts of the stage slowly cutting across the floor from wing to wing while everything remains numb and just about dead. But the ritual tango movements are elegant belonging to a silvery foliage. All seem to be dispelled into nothingness that make up just a small part of The Golden Age.

Moving over to a scene there is the square and by the seaside are bright simple masts swaying in the wind and against the blue colour, the sky and sea wrap up each other. There in the world of youth is the openness and space, beckoning expanses of life in motion.

So, The Golden Age theme is one contrast as the future appears. The choreographer presents such scenes in modern society and character dancing. Each episode throws light forward to the next and deepens the sense. The dancers are subject to concentration while they dance.

The Golden Age is the ambiguous image without losing its spectator value while acquiring ominous features. The main events in the ballet come in major scenes. The plot specifies certain features in the overall picture to sharpen the image. The events are not described by the choreographer in minute details and contain symbolic significances that reveal a choreographic structure on multi-level dancing.

In the successive waltzes, charlestons and gallops, they insistently and with vigour carve out new meanings to new steps. The plot is built on unexpected happenings captivating senses that make The Golden Age different to other ballets.

The final scene comes with the development of a symphony. The senses of the two finales is symbolic. Grigorvich's choreography is a marvel and we find the invisible figure of Time which flies pitilessly over life as something discovered anew. The Golden Age movement is never ending.

The score comes in the great composer, Shostakovich with his embodiment of lyrical ideas with a will of his own in the individual episodes. The modern version of the ballet has picked up the march beats softened by the warmth of the soul. The variations are based according to the scenarios different to the original score.

This lyrical beginning produced by Shostakovich was marvellously developed by Grigorovich who maintained the theme of love through the whole ballet. Love that elevate human emotion, the one that breeds life and for which many sacrifice is made. Tender recognition and flights of devotion reach the heights of passion and Shostakovich had them all in his music. These along with the corps-de-ballet reach the centre of the heart and touch the finest strings of the soul to reveal secret emotions.

The duets in the ballet are about general images of goodness, purity and humility. The mass scenes display the new lifestyle that links in terms of drama and choreography. They pierce deeper into the fabric to reach the heart. These high strung emotions in a ballet can be conveyed only by the iconic touch of composer/choreographer combination such as Shostakovich and Grigorovich. Each of the three Acts finishes with lyrical themes. Love triumphs throughout the universe. Here, it ends in a romantic and victorious mood. At the end of Act One they are all intriguing, startling and passionate that sparkle through the Acts as The Golden Age reveals.