Skip to main content

The dances of swans

Having been absent from live orchestra performance for years, I mean as an audience, last weekend I got the chance to experience the live performance. It was Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake. Initially I didn't know there would be a visual performance (from the recording). So I bought the front row seats (though I didn't choose it). And they showed the video recording of Swan Lake's ballet performance. Audio with visual, that's a good pair, like watching movie. This was the first time I had orchestra music with performance (though the performance was a recording).


Personally I'm a fan of Tchaikovsky. So Swan Lake suite is no stranger to me. But I've yet to listen to the full suite. I quite enjoyed the performance throughout the session. She wasn't. Because we were at the front row, so we had to lift our head to watch the recording. I wasn't paying attention to the recording though.


My favourite track from the suite was Dances of the Swan (one of the numbers). The ballet was about a prince who had to declare his wife at his birthday ball (or party). He went to the forest and met a princess, like a swan (?). She was cursed by a sorcerer that she would become a swan at daylight and a woman at night. And the prince fell in love with her. At the end, loves conquer all (to cut the story short). Some of Tchaikovsky's works include Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker and The Sleeping Beauty. All have their ballet performance.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Kaoshiung

I haven't finished recounting my journey in Sweden and Japan; I returned from Taiwan just two weeks ago. Here's a brief account of my recent visit there (although I still have unfinished tale from last year trip to Taiwan). My first stop was Kaoshiung. Spent a day and a half in the town, then I travelled to Tainan for a weekend symposium. I ended my journey in Taipei for another short hike. The weather in Kaohsiung was quite hot, comparatively. It's not my favorite weather for traveling. Perhaps I arrived there too early; had I come a few days later, the temperature would have been cooler. Since day time was hot, it would be wise to visit Pier 2 area during evening or night. Not many people / tourists in this town. It looked quiet.  The next day, I took a ferry to Cijin. The ride was short, about 5 minutes. Cijin Island is a fisherman's village. On the opposite side of the island, there's a beach. It was serene but scorching, to the extent that I couldn't walk m

Xiangshan (Elephant Mountain)

 If Yangmingshan is too far or too adventurous for you, try Xiang Shan (literally means Elephant Mountain) which is right in the city. The place is accessible by MRT. Just get out from Xiangshan MRT station, walk towards the park and you will be at the entrance in no time. Follow the signpost along the way. Be prepared for a series of steep stairway. At the stop uphill, you can get the closest view of 101 Tower.  The starting point of Xiangshan All uphill climb Stairway to the top If you see this, you have arrived at the viewpoint Taipei 101 Tower View along the way Benches Posting as a sign of achievement Night view of 101

Hsinhua Forest Station, Tainan

Spent two nights at Hsinhua Forest Station after visiting Kaoshiung, in conjunction with the academic symposium. With an abundance of forest trees and greenery, this site is perfect for hiking and relaxation. Went on a short hike in the morning. Some sections of the forest need better upkeep though. Here are some photos of the area and plants. Photos were shot with iPhone 11