Nijinsky

So, there are a couple of events I went to that I never got around to posting about.

Last November, I went to see my first ever ballet! It was called Nijinsky, performed by the Australian Ballet, at the Opera House. It was inspired by the biography of the legendary dancer Vaslav Nijinsky, showcasing some of his most famous roles. It was kind of a downbeat story, because he had a short and brilliant career, and then spiralled into mental illness and institutionalism.

Apparently no footage of him exists. Although film had been invented by then, the technology was primitive, and many ballet dancers refused to be filmed, fearing the poor quality footage would ruin their reputations.

I used to watch So You Think You Can Dance, and the contestants who had trained in ballet always had such beautiful technique. And here, every single person was like that, to a professional level. Movement so graceful and fluid. No wonder people love watching this.

It was far more sensual than I expected, and wonderfully compelling. I wasn't sure if I understood all the symbolism though. There was more than one dancer portraying Nijinsky and his various roles, and at times I couldn't tell if his present self was witnessing his past self, or if they were supposed to be two different characters. I'm more used to musicals and plays, so I kept expecting people to burst into song or speech - but no, the story was carried through dance alone.

Anyway, I'm won over. I hope to see more ballet in future.

Lea Salonga in Concert

In February, I went to see Lea Salonga in concert at the Opera House. I was super excited, because I've loved her singing ever since the Miss Saigon cast recording, one of my first musicals.

She was warm and funny, and thrilled to have her Opera House debut. Her brother, Gerard Salonga, was the conductor that night for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

The program was an awesome selection of classics:

( Full list )

For "A Whole New World", she asked for a volunteer from the audience to perform the duet with her. The starstruck young man who ended up on stage was actually a pretty good singer. His enthusiasm was very cute.

All in all, a great show! She signed a CD for me while I tried not to fangirl too much.

Richard 3

In February, I went to see the Bell Shakespeare Company's production of Richard 3 at the Opera House. The main reason I wanted to see it was, Richard was being played by Kate Mulvany, who really impressed me as Cassius in Julius Caesar.

I went in knowing almost nothing about the play or the history, only:

1. it was politically expedient to blacken the name of Richard III, who was
2. called a hunchback, but actually had scoliosis, and
3. may or may not have killed the two Princes in the Tower, and
4. the War of the Roses inspired Game of Thrones.

So it was a pretty suspenseful and gripping experience! It felt like a cross between Downton Abbey (the sets and costumes) and Game of Thrones (the political machinations and increasing body count). Not knowing the outcome added to the tension, although I did have the sense that Richard, as the villain, would come to a bad end. Kate Mulvany was compelling in the role, her Richard both charming and repulsive in his manipulations, an outcast fuelled by simmering anger and ambition. Bold casting that paid off. (Her own thoughts on the role are quite interesting to read.)