Historically lovers of the dance may be aware of this story. Even as a dance lover I was not. Not until I saw this play.
According to Wikipedia "On March 12, 1832, the first version of La Sylphide premiered at the Salle Le Peletier of the Paris Opéra with choreography by the groundbreaking Italian choreographer Filippo Taglioni and music by Jean-Madeleine Schneitzhoeffer. Taglioni designed the work as a showcase for his daughter Marie."
This play Sylph is Marie's story, told by Marie as a one act monologue.
We learn during the play that as dance history, La Sylphide is momentous, in that not only was it choreorgraphed specifically for Marie Taglioni, and consequently brought her great acclaim, but it was also the first ballet where dancing en pointe had an aesthetic rationale and was not merely an acrobatic stunt.
Sylph documents the life of Marie Taglioni, known for her chaste, ethereal, sylph-like qualities on stage, also uncovers life beyond the dance. The play also looks into her private life which was grounded in affairs with lovers from royalty to the arts. Through this is also provides some degree of social commentary about aristocracy and power, and disadvantage as well as the peak of the cult of the ballerina.
And Sylph was written in Sydney by Jodi Rose was a ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet Company in NY, and worked with Margot Fonteyn and the Bolshoi Ballet. She toured and taught with her own company before moving to Australia in 1994. She continues to teach at Jodi Rose Ballet in Woollahra. Her writing and lecturing on the subject of end-of-life care took shape after the death of her husband, Olympic swimmer Murray Rose. This is her first play.
Marie is played by Gertraud Ingeborg who interestingly studied ballet from the late age of 30. In the performance, you can see Ingeborg has studied dance, in her arm extensions, in her deportment, and five positions in plie. For a dance lover, some of the most compelling parts of the play are when realise the training that was developed by Filippo for his daughter are now the fulcrum of RAD syllabus. Ingeborg came to acting at an ever later age, 10 years on from her first dance class. There are pros and cons to delivering a monologue she confides on opening night. Although there's no interaction you can really make a play your own. And she did.
Sylph was recently performed at beloved The Depot Theatre Marrickville for a short return season, and is currently on its way to Italy.
