What's better than a pirate romance made into a ballet? I can't think of much anything better. Over the summer when Boston Ballet released its upcoming schedule of ballets, I knew I had to see this one. As a huge fan of Captain Jack Sparrow, Will Turner, Barbossa, this was my show.
Three years ago yesterday I saw my first ballet. For some reason, I love the ballet. I never took dance classes in my life, I never was a theater kid but I really just love the ballet. There's a sense of "I don't belong here but I'm here" and "I'm going to enjoy every second of being at the ballet." Besides a good pirate story, there's nothing I love more than dressing up, sipping on a vodka-cran and being in the presence of the Boston art scene. A ballet doesn't have words or dialogue but that's made up for with the drama, love and passion with dance.
Last night I attended the 53rd season opener of Boston Ballet's for "Le Corsaire" at the Boston Opera House, a story about a lovely maiden and a wealthy aristocrat who wants to add her to his harem, a part of the household reserved for wives, but a pirate wants to save her from the aristocrat. According to the Boston Globe, the story is based on a poem by Lord Byron of the same name and was created for the Bavarian State Ballet in 2007. This is the first time the ballet has been performed for Boston Ballet and was choreographed by Ivan Liška. An attempted version of the show was performed in 1997 under the name "The Pirate," according to the Boston Globe.
The show is filled with romance (including an almost steamy bedroom scene on the beach), lust, hate, beautiful color and even more beautiful dance. The set was perhaps the most impressive part of the ballet. I have been to three previous ballets performed by Boston Ballet but I have never seen such a realistic and imposing stage. The set was incredibly thought out, looking extremely three-dimensional and as if the beach was right in front of me and I could hop on a pirate ship at any second.
Although, this swashbuckling pirate story didn't have that many sword fights or ghost stories (I guess I'll just watch "Pirates of the Caribbean" for the 300th time), this show was outstanding. The audience was captivated throughout the entire ballet, laughing at many parts when appropriate and clapping when a ballerina would end her solo. The highlight of the second half of the show included at least 15 ballerinas on stage dancing in pink tutus carrying a bouquet of beautiful pink flowers, accompanied by countless children for an alluring and mesmerizing scene of color and dance. I won't spoil the end of the ballet; the show runs until November 7.
I don't know much about the ballet, but I know I loved "Le Corsaire."