This ballet also enjoys a moment of glory in the final scene of the movie Billy Elliot, when Billy's father and childhood friends come to see him dance professionally. The movie ends with Billy leaping onto the stage as Matthew Bourne's lead Swan. When I first saw the movie, I had no idea that the reference was to Gay Swan Lake so all I could think was, "WTF? What is with that ugly makeup and feather pants?" (If you want to see the final scene, click here.)
Tuesday, 28 June 2011
Gay Swan Lake
One of Tchaikovsky's most famous works is the score to the ballet Swan Lake. In 1995, British dancer and choreographer Matthew Bourne staged a startlingly new interpretation featuring all male swans. His version is now unofficially known as Gay Swan Lake. I can't help but think that Tchaikovsky would have loved the homoerotic pas de deux of love and seduction between the Prince and the lead Swan --
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20 comments:
I have that movie in my netflix que...I should really go watch it. :o)
Haven't seen it. Don't see many movies, but enjoyed the final scene.
Mary
Beautiful.
Gotta love them pants! :0)
i have to watch that movie again. this was great! thanks so much!
Great minds.. you and I are both on a bit of a swan kick today! Have missed seeing the Bourne Swan Lake twice now and was trying to get to see his Cinderella this week but moving got in the way. Thanks for posting this - a wonderful piece of choreography.
Cute my verification word is: ballogr ballo being Italian for Ballet or dance!!!!
*sniff*
I always get weepy when I see ballet for some reason. This was beautiful!
that bring a new meaning to that ballet
I loved Billy Elliot i must sit down and watch it again :)
I'll put Billy Eliot in my que.
Jo
I love Swan Lake AND Tchaikovsky though I never knew he was gay. I'd love to see Gay Swan Lake as well because it makes sense now.
I loved Billy Elliot, filled with pain and beauty, courage, growth! This dance company is beautiful...so fluid!
Perhaps that was the way that Tchaikovsky envisioned it. Gay Swan Lake seems more emotional, more dramatic, and more powerful, while retaining the expressive beauty. It is breathtaking.
I loved the movie Billy Elliot, but selfishly, didn't like the ending. .oh, it was very powerful left the way that it ends, and conveys the message, but I wanted to see him dance! lol
Elton John's award winning Broadway show by the same name is now on tour, performing in California. I wanted to see it when it was in Chicago, but was unable to go, darn it.
My exact words when I finished that video clip: "Oh wow."
I think I like Gay Swan Lake. :)
And it's so neat that they were both picking each other up. That's not something they would do if the swan were played by a woman.
Now I need to watch Swan Lake...it's a ballet that I haven't seen.
Wow.
I never knew this either! I guess you learn something new everyday!
Huh, I'll have to check it out.
Ballet is really beautiful :)!
I follow this blog :)
The set design is InFREAKINcredible. Thanks for sharing this--posting to face book in t-minus NOW. :)
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