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バレエに熱中
ボストン・バレエによる「ドン・キホーテ」の公演は素晴らしく、雅子さんは、1週間に2度も劇場を訪れました。特に、2回目の公演の主役を演じたバレリーナは美しく、観客はみな、彼女の踊りのとりこになりました。すっかりバレエの魅力に取り付かれてしまった雅子さん。またしても自分でチャレンジせずにはいられません。
A Passion for Ballet
By MASAKO YAMADA
I went to see the ballet twice last week. Not only did I go see the ballet twice, I saw
the same program twice. Around here, "the ballet" refers to the Boston Ballet, and
right now, the program they are performing is "Don Quixote."
My adviser expressed surprise that I had chosen to go twice. He told me for him it
was hard enough to stay awake just once. Apparently, he used to go with his wife to
humor her, but he doesn't anymore. I saw his wife and his daughter going to one of the
performances without him.
I have to admit that I've occasionally fallen asleep during ballet and classical
music performances, so I can sympathize with his perspective. I used to have
subscription tickets to the ballet several years ago and I fell asleep quite often.
This was undoubtedly a big waste of money.
For some reason, however, this production of "Don Quixote" was different. Perhaps
I appreciate the beauty of ballet more now that I'm older. The question, then, is,
what could it be about age that makes me like ballet more?
I think the answer is: the fantasy. When the auditorium dims and the curtain
rises, a completely dif
ferent world unfolds on the stage. For some reason, I'm more easily drawn into
this sort of thing than I was in the past.
The original "Don Quixote" is a serious novel that paints an extraordinary psychological picture of a man. I find the fantasies of his saving his princess
fascinating. However, the ballet does not probe so deeply into the psyche of the
character Don Quixote. Instead, like most fantasy ballets, it centers on the story
between the two young lovers, who must surmount many obstacles to get together.
Perhaps it's not fashionable among educated women to fall for these kinds of
stories, but the heroine in this ballet, Kitri, is actually quite strong-willed. She
rebels against her father, who wants her to marry a rich gentleman, and instead
chooses a dashing barber.
But forget about the meager political statements that can be extracted from the
ballet, what I liked most is the exuberance of the lead character, Kitri. She's
flirtatious, mischievous and utterly charming.
Having seeing the ballet twice, I was able to notice differences between the two
performances. This, in itself, is fascinating. The casting was totally different each
time, and I had very different reactions to the ballet.
The first time I saw it, I never saw the prima ballerina falter, but I started to
fall asleep in certain sections. The second time I saw it, I couldn't take my eyes off
the prima ballerina, Jennifer Gelfand. I was thrilled to be able to see her, since I'd
read so much about how she had perfected the role when she was still in her teens.
Ten years later, it seems like it's a part of her. She was smiling radiantly the
whole time, and her every move was filled with life. Even the simple miming was
incredible, but she absolutely wowed everybody with her amazing spins on pointe.
Jennifer Gelfand has become a local celebrity, a surprising feat for a ballerina.
This is partly because she's so talented, partly because she's so beautiful and partly
because she's so intelligent. It is well-known that she turned down an offer to attend
Harvard in order to pursue her art.
After watching the ballet the second time, I decided that I wanted to take ballet
lessons again. I took lessons as a child, and again as a college student, but I haven't
touched a barre in years. Fortunately, one of the friends with whom I saw the ballet
has been taking amateur ballet classes offered by the Boston Ballet for a couple of
years and she persuaded me to go along with her.
I tried to convince another friend to take lessons with us, but she said that she'd
"look like an elephant."
I replied, "Not elegant — but, `elephant"' and she giggled. But she couldn't
be convinced to join us. I'm notorious for trying out anything new that interests me,
raising a big fuss, and then dropping the topic after a while.
However, I have the feeling I'll be able to continue ballet for a long time, since
I've liked it since I was young. Well, let's see how long my latest passion lasts.
I went to see the ballet twice last week. Not only did I go see the ballet twice, I saw
the same program twice. Around here, "the ballet" refers to the Boston Ballet, and
right now, the program they are performing is "Don Quixote."
My adviser expressed surprise that I had chosen to go twice. He told me for him it
was hard enough to stay awake just once. Apparently, he used to go with his wife to
humor her, but he doesn't anymore. I saw his wife and his daughter going to one of the
performances without him.
I have to admit that I've occasionally fallen asleep during ballet and classical
music performances, so I can sympathize with his perspective. I used to have
subscription tickets to the ballet several years ago and I fell asleep quite often.
This was undoubtedly a big waste of money.
For some reason, however, this production of "Don Quixote" was different. Perhaps
I appreciate the beauty of ballet more now that I'm older. The question, then, is,
what could it be about age that makes me like ballet more?
I think the answer is: the fantasy. When the auditorium dims and the curtain
rises, a completely dif
ferent world unfolds on the stage. For some reason, I'm more easily drawn into
this sort of thing than I was in the past.
The original "Don Quixote" is a serious novel that paints an extraordinary psychological picture of a man. I find the fantasies of his saving his princess
fascinating. However, the ballet does not probe so deeply into the psyche of the
character Don Quixote. Instead, like most fantasy ballets, it centers on the story
between the two young lovers, who must surmount many obstacles to get together.
Perhaps it's not fashionable among educated women to fall for these kinds of
stories, but the heroine in this ballet, Kitri, is actually quite strong-willed. She
rebels against her father, who wants her to marry a rich gentleman, and instead
chooses a dashing barber.
But forget about the meager political statements that can be extracted from the
ballet, what I liked most is the exuberance of the lead character, Kitri. She's
flirtatious, mischievous and utterly charming.
Having seeing the ballet twice, I was able to notice differences between the two
performances. This, in itself, is fascinating. The casting was totally different each
time, and I had very different reactions to the ballet.
The first time I saw it, I never saw the prima ballerina falter, but I started to
fall asleep in certain sections. The second time I saw it, I couldn't take my eyes off
the prima ballerina, Jennifer Gelfand. I was thrilled to be able to see her, since I'd
read so much about how she had perfected the role when she was still in her teens.
Ten years later, it seems like it's a part of her. She was smiling radiantly the
whole time, and her every move was filled with life. Even the simple miming was
incredible, but she absolutely wowed everybody with her amazing spins on pointe.
Jennifer Gelfand has become a local celebrity, a surprising feat for a ballerina.
This is partly because she's so talented, partly because she's so beautiful and partly
because she's so intelligent. It is well-known that she turned down an offer to attend
Harvard in order to pursue her art.
After watching the ballet the second time, I decided that I wanted to take ballet
lessons again. I took lessons as a child, and again as a college student, but I haven't
touched a barre in years. Fortunately, one of the friends with whom I saw the ballet
has been taking amateur ballet classes offered by the Boston Ballet for a couple of
years and she persuaded me to go along with her.
I tried to convince another friend to take lessons with us, but she said that she'd
"look like an elephant."
I replied, "Not elegant — but, `elephant"' and she giggled. But she couldn't
be convinced to join us. I'm notorious for trying out anything new that interests me,
raising a big fuss, and then dropping the topic after a while.
However, I have the feeling I'll be able to continue ballet for a long time, since
I've liked it since I was young. Well, let's see how long my latest passion lasts.
Shukan ST: April 21, 2000
(C) All rights reserved
- 〜 refers to 〜 〜
- 〜 は 〜 〜 のことを指す
- "Don Quixote"
- スペイン人作家セルバンテスの小説にもとづくバレエ
- humor 〜
- 〜 に合わせる
- admit
- 告白する
- occasionally
- ときどき
- sympathize with 〜
- 〜 に共感を覚える
- perspective
- 感じ方
- subscription tickets
- 会員券
- undoubtedly
- 確かに
- production
- 上演
- Perhaps
- もしかすると
- appreciate 〜
- 〜 を理解する
- auditorium
- 観客席
- dims
- 暗くなる
- curtain rises
- 幕が開く
- unfolds
- 広がる
- (am)drawn into 〜
- 〜 に引き込まれる
- paints
- 描く
- extraordinary psychological picture
- 異常なほど細かい心理的描写
- fascinating
- 心を奪われるような
- probe so deeply into the psyche of 〜
- 〜 の心理まで深く掘り下げる
- surmount
- 乗り越える
- obstacles
- 障害
- educated
- 教養のある
- fall for 〜
- 〜 が好きになる
- strong-willed
- 意志の強い
- rebels against 〜
- 〜 に反抗する
- dashing
- 勇ましい
- barber
- 理髪師
- meager political statments that can be extracted from 〜
- 〜 から引き出すことができる、性差別についての大したことのない主張
- exuberance
- あふれるばかりの豊かさ
- flirtatious
- あだっぽい
- mischievous
- いたずら好きな
- utterly charming
- 非常に魅力的な
- in itself
- それ自体
- prima ballerina
- 主役を演じるプリマバレリーナ
- falter
- つまずく
- was thrilled
- ぞくぞくした
- had perfected the role
- 役に熟達していた
- teens
- 十代
- radiantly
- 輝いて
- miming
- 身ぶり
- incredible
- 素晴らしい
- wowed
- うならせた
- spins on pointe
- つま先を使った回転
- celebrity
- 有名人
- surprising feat for 〜
- 〜 には珍しく
- talented
- 才能がある
- turned down 〜
- 〜 を断った
- barre
- バレエの練習用の手すり
- persuaded 〜
- 〜 を説得した
- convince
- 納得させる
- elegant
- 優雅な
- giggled
- くすくす笑った
- (am)notorious for 〜
- 〜 で知られている
- raising a big fuss
- 騒ぎたてる