There are only 3 remaining performances of the The Princess & the Goblin at Cobb Energy Center: Friday, Feb 17th and Saturday, Feb 18th at 8PM and one last matinee on Sunday, Feb 19th at 2PM. Purchase tickets HERE.
Last Friday night, I was thrilled to be at the World Premiere of this new ballet by Twyla Tharp, regarded as one of the world's greatest living choreographers. She did not disappoint. Everything about this ballet was unexpected, beginning with the opening scene. A lone ballerina, Great-Grandmother Irene, on a blackened stage, bathed in light from two crossed spotlights, spinning and spinning in a silken flurry from her gorgeous white, floor-length gown... it was completely mesmerizing.
From there, the story of courage and forgiveness unfolds. King Papa and his courtiers are too preoccupied at his Garden Party to notice that their children have been kidnapped by goblins. Unable to spur them to action, young Princess Irene decides to take matters into her own hands. Together with her Great Grandmother and her best friend, Curdie, the princess ventures deep into the underworld kingdom of the goblins to rescue the children, but not without several wonderful fight scenes that include a lot of hilarious shin kicking and toe stomping! In the end, goodness triumphs over evil.
The story is told through seven principal dancers and a large cast including 13 children from the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education. The choreography, which is at the same time both athletic and graceful, is brilliant!
The combination of huge silken panels of fabric with special lighting to create the illusion of scenery throughout the performance was very contemporary and simple and yet also very dramatic and clever. The lighting and shadow imagery were particularly ingenious. All of the scenery created just enough backdrop to support the scene and make it believable, but so subtle that it left all of the focus on the dancers and the story.
There were no tutus in this ballet! From the worn and tattered rags worn by the goblins to the play clothes worn by the children, the innovative wardrobes created by Anne Armit of Canada's Royal Winnipeg Ballet were more like clothes than costumes. Princess Irene's dress was just regal enough to show her station but still project her youth and innocence. The formal wear of King Papa and his courtiers, with their large, highly stylized hats and gowns, was magnificent and reminiscent of the Ascot scene in "My Fair Lady".
photo by charlie mccullers, courtesy of Atlanta Ballet
In most ballets, the steps are choreographed to the music, which plays a central role. But, I felt that the opposite was the case in this ballet. The beautiful original score, played by the Atlanta Ballet Orchestra, seemed to follow and support, rather than drive the steps.
If you like ballet, if you like contemporary dance, if you like beautiful music, if you like children's stories, if you like stories with strong heroines, if you like stories of good over evil, if you like stories of courage, if you like humor, if you like haunting imagery, if you like beauty and grace of any type, then go see The Princess & the Goblin. Take your children with you, they will love it! This is not a ballet that tells a story, it is a story that is told through movement. It is totally and completely delightful!! I wouldn't expect anything less from Twyla.
