As usual, my dance school has already started preparing for their annual end-of-the year show (due in mid-June). This year they will be producing - ta ta ta taa - La fille du pharaon!
The Pharaoh's Daughter was Marius Petipa's first grand ballet: an adaptation of Théophile Gautier's Le roman de la momie, created in 1862 to Cesare Pugni's music. The Pharaoh's Daughter has been very much overshadowed by Petipa's later works and it wasn't, in fact, until the early 2000's that the ballet was reproduced by the Bolshoï Theatre. Despite its relative lack of fame though, it's a beautiful piece of work, definitely worth watching (and dancing!).
For the soon-to-be maître de ballet Petipa, La fille du pharaon was a turning point in his career for another reason, too, as it also marked the end of his dancing career. Petipa danced his last role as Ta-Hor, the lover of Aspicia, the pharaoh's daughter.
As for the local ballet show, they are still looking for a few dancers more in the corps de ballet. Having now tried out some of the original choreography, I have to say I am tempted. Perhaps I should don on my pointe shoes and a tutu - just for one more (last) time?
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