The Mariinsky Ballet - Yaroslavna. The Eclipse

[oyceter]

So I have been watching a lot of the ballet and other performing arts pieces being streamed online now due to Covid-19, and this is the most bizarre thing ever. I just started watching because it was on, and now I am glad I did.

So far it has featured a creepy lizard guy; warring factions that (to quote CB) look like Zardoz interpreted by a troupe of Skittles; sexy football gladiators with lightsabers; dancers wearing extremely creepy masks of children's faces circling around a crocodile; and A DINOSAUR. Also wolf women. And probably other things I am forgetting.

I am not sure I understand it more after reading the synopsis, but apparently it is based on The Tale of Igor's Campaign? It was choreographed in 1974 (the same year Zardoz came out!), and I'm pretty sure the choreographer was smoking something.

On for ten more hours apparently!

Watch on YouTube

(If you watch, wait at least until the second dancer comes out.)

ETA: apparently the ballet is from 1974, but this version is new choreography. Also content note re: a very Fu Manchu looking person and evil lizard dude with vaguely Chinese tattoos. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And after I posted this, there was a section that included the Mariinsky's signature doofy looking stuffed toy props! In this case, it featured stuffed toy meats, including sausages that get swung around, and a turkey. And a very floppy lobster. I think there's also an evil temptress who is dressed as bacon?

There is also some skillful and difficult yet silly looking rolling around in a gilded hamster wheel.

I believe the moral of the story is: War Is Bad.

It is all Very Art.

Comments

[oracne]

Dressed as bacon. Definitely Very Art.

[rachelmanija]

Watching now.

And suddenly there is a demon lizard.

[rachelmanija]

WARRING SKITTLES HEADS. Or are they shower caps? LOOLLOLOL. They are so serious looking too!

[rachelmanija]

Are those a lot of Popes?

[rachelmanija]

Here come the sign language sun gods.

[oyceter]

OMG and it is only the first half hour! IT ACTUALLY GETS WEIRDER!

[rachelmanija]

I'm running some comments through google translate:

Pizza again, did not eat, it turned out to be tasteless :)

they didn’t do without naked bidding. Buzhnitskaya setting. cheap costumes, scenery not to consider, dark. it’s not about pleasure. And in the theater, people pay thousands!

[oyceter]

Bwah! Indeed it's not about pleasure! It is a Very Serious Art on why war is bad!

[rachelmanija]

Margorita Luganskaya
Pizza!

Rabbit Oburenko
The airship?

Andrew Stepanoff
Mutant. Poor nutrition.

SSvetlana
Tears on the eyes! :))

Katerina Kapustina
This production can only be watched with a smoke

[rachelmanija]

Rabbit Oburenko
I’m a terrible scary gray wolf, I know a lot about piglets р rrrrrrrrrr 👻👻👻

Anna Pakalniske
These are not positive emotions, but some kind of nightmare.

Nina Mezhenina
😂🤣

Rabbit Oburenko
Batman is dressed as Prince Igor

[oyceter]

"Batman is dressed as Prince Igor"

I feel this is an excellent summation of the ballet! Also: "This production can only be watched with a smoke"

[rachelmanija]

So... light saber strip football?

[rachelmanija]

Here comes the glowing hamster wheel! I'm so excited.

[rachelmanija]

Oh here's the crocodile. I got a screenshot but I'm not sure how to upload it.

[oyceter]

You got a screenshot?! Did it include the creepy child head masks?

[rachelmanija]

YES. I'll email it to you.