This was my first time in a opera house and I was awestruck with the number of people who were gathered around the BAM Opera House. Slowly making my way in allowing me to enjoy the large lobby and the warm environment that I felt when waiting to go up to the main event. Once I entered the main room, I couldn’t believe that this was exactly what I was seeing on TV. The scene was stunning and set the scene for what was to come. The architecture was beautiful and created a scene where I wasn’t in Brooklyn anymore. The seats were a bit high
The seats were a bit high up, but I guess that enabled me to see the choreography from a whole point of view and allowed me to enjoy the show from a distance. Although at some points when I stood up I felt I would fall off the balcony, that allowed me to understand that the performance wants to put its viewers on its tiptoes at all times. Café Müller had six distinctive disturbed and disturbing characters which appeared to be moving at all times and counterparts of another. At least three were blind due to their crashing into the chairs and tables. The claustrophobic environment where characters are flung across the floor by others who seem to have unlimited energy. The repetitive motions of slamming people into the wall and the facial expressions of the characters along with the organized yet seemingly unorganized motions create chaos along with unusual humor. Furthermore, this is the first time I was entertained through a lack of speech. The lack of speech was replaced my different music which created an even more disturbing and eyecatching scenes.
With a short break, I started to imagine the second show which I envisioned when reading about it prior to the show. The Rite of Spring begins with the setting of a scene of carefully placed dirt and allowed me to see how behind the scenes usually takes place. There was nothing spectacular about the dancing but as the show progressed I saw the story it was telling. Both men and women dancing in symphony in a constant battle to pair up and ultimately choose a sacrificial dancer. At first, I saw a red item that was passed around by all the girl dancers and created a mysterious thought of what the purpose of the item as if it constantly handed around all the dancers. This caught my attention and as soon I saw that it was a dress it allowed me to understand that it symbolized the fire that the women were dancing around and the girl was ultimately within in that fire as soon as she put it on. The captivating show was also speechless but there was intense music which wasn’t background noise but a part of the show. Both shows allowed me to view entertainment in a new lens and how stories could be told without speaking rather, with strict motions.
By: Alon Bezalel
Your interpretation of the stories behind the performances is really eye opening. I wasn’t really able to create a connection between the dancing and a theme but the way you explain the dynamics between the characters is amazing. I would have never also thought of the Second Act as one based on sacrifice with the red dress but that is in fact a really cool idea.