In an interview he recently gave to Vanity Fair, President Macron said that culture was part of his personal education and is directly linked to his policy and its part in his emancipation. "My grandmother had a very important role for me - through books first and paintings afterwards and music which was the best way to escape my day to day life." Both his parents were doctors and busy. He explains that during a large part of his childhood up to 16 or 18 years he has a lot of memories from his readings and music "probably as many as in real life." He also played the piano. He mentions authors - Stendhal, Gide and composers - Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert. The experiences of their works he considers to be his very personal secret garden.
Now as President he considers culture to be part of an emancipation project for France. With culture, he believes, you manage to provide feelings, emotions, which can break all the barriers between peoples, and can completely transform their life and emancipate them.
He has other plans to ensure that culture will play an important part in people's lives but this is not the place to discuss these ideas which are still in the making.
In Malta there is a great deal going on all year round when it comes to culture. Therefore it is up to each individual to make the best of what we have. But of course you can lead a horse to water etc.
It is with these thoughts in mind that I went to watch the ballet Giselle at Pjazza Teatru Rjal earlier this month. Its artistic director and producer was Brigitte Gauci Borda who is the founding director of the Brigitte Gauci Borda School of Dance. Many of her students participated in Giselle - 80 in all.
The story of Giselle is highly romantic. Albrecht, the thoughtless aristocratic philanderer, caught up in enraptured puppy-love for the villager Giselle is secretly hooked to his lawful fiancée from the castle. Hilarion a gamekeeper who loves Giselle jealously reveals to her that Albrecht is a nobleman. She already has a weak heart and dies, heartbroken, when she discovers this.
In the second act, near Giselle's tomb Albrecht is saved from the spectral furies (the Wilis) the spirits of maidens who have been jilted and died before getting married. Any man who sees them is forced to dance to his death. Led by Queen Myrtha, they drive Hilarion into the lake, and attempt to dance Albrecht to his death. But Giselle, now a Wili, saves him by telling him that he will be protected if he holds the cross on her grave. She then dances with him herself until dawn. By then the Wilis have to return to their graves and so Albrecht is saved by Giselle's devoted love.
Albrecht comes to terms with himself and reality. At the end he is left sadder and wiser, solitarily pondering on strange visions. A boy has grown up.
The composer Adolphe Adam was known for his ability to cook up a quick score in a short time. He had begun work on Giselle on 11 April, before the ballet was approved. The work was finished on 8 June, 1841, a mere 20 days before the production was launched.
The music is anything but monotonous. It is considered to be Adam's finest theatrical creation outside of his opera Le Postillon de Lonjumeau.
That evening we were spoilt for the principal roles were performed by guests from international ballet companies: Luiza Lopes from the Royal Swedish Ballet, Erico Montes who was also the choreographer from the Royal Ballet and Sergey Kheylik from the Vienna State Opera Ballet. All three have distinguished careers and plenty of experience.
Looking back, perhaps the most impressive scene in the ballet is that of the Wilis who control the stage with their long white tulle dresses and stoic expressions. The Wilis are one of the most iconic characters in Giselle and dominate the second act. Appearing ethereal their presence is intended to create an eerie mood that builds as the ballet continues and they enclose on Albrecht. They are ruthless towards men because they have all died of a broken heart.
Giselle that evening, stood out for its choreographic variety as well as for individual skills. It takes hard work and discipline to coach a corps de ballet. Just co-ordinating it all must be a nightmare. This was in the hands of Brigitte Gauci Borda, Tatiana Lebedeva and Michela Micallef. The colourful costumes were by Simona Mamo and Adelina Abdilla.
The dancing flowed seamlessly thus pleasing the eye as did the costumes.
The well deserved ovation that saluted the finale demonstrated how the audience had appreciated all the effort put in Giselle by the whole team.
Please note that Registrations for the Autumn term are open and the new term commences on the 1st October 2018.
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