Enthusiastic Canine Attends Folk Opera, Channeling Spirits of Nureyev
Furrily Entertaining: "Nureyev's Dog" Unleashes a Funny and Heartwarming Ballet Adventure
Sorry for the blunt title, but let's get real - it's a show about a dog. And a pretty famous one, at that! "Nureyev's Dog," the spirited stage production, gives the legendary ballet star Rudolf Nureyev's pet Rottweiler center stage, and it's as fascinating as it sounds. The canine protagonist, humorously reincarnated as a human, navigates the ballet world, loss, and friendship - all while rocking some adorable brown outfits and pirouetting across the stage.
Premiered at Vienna Volksoper, this heartwarming family show, brought to life by Peter te Nuyl and Keren Kagarlitsky, has got the town talking.
You might wonder, "Hey, wasn’t Nureyev's dog a real thing?" Yep, you're right. In real life, the ballet legend did own a Rottweiler, which was given to ballet mistress Marika Besobrasova after Nureyev's demise. Rumor has it that Besobrasova even made her students bow to the dog, rather unusual, but hey, to each their own, right?
The Four-Legged Rise to Stardom
Elke Heidenreich's 1998 novella "Nureyev's Dog or What Longing Can Do" already put the pooch in the spotlight. Now, inspired by this book, comes this dance and music piece, orchestrated and directed by Florian Hurler - who, by the way, studied under Besobrasova.
Our newest furry hero, masterfully portrayed by Florian Carove, and the narrator "Solor," open the hour-and-a-half-long production. Solor observes the boisterous, champagne-swilling guests at a Truman Capote-style party in New York, and the adventure begins, unfolding like a vibrant picture book (thank you, Christof Hetzer, for the tasteful stage design). "Coming, boy?" Nureyev, played by Sebastian Wendelin, questions the dog left behind by its previous owners.
The Music to Paws-itively Dance To
Thanks to Kagarlitsky's creative touch, the musical program is as colorful as Solor's journey. You've got Jacques Offenbach's ballet scores, George Gershwin's "An American in Paris," opera arias, Russian lullabies, and Tatar folk dances, along with the conductor's original compositions - such as the accompaniment to Nureyev's thought-provoking monologue shortly before his death.
The Tale of a Four-Legged Friend
In the end, it's obvious: Even a large, graceful dog can excel in prancing and spinning, and one should never abandon the search for personal fulfillment. It's a mystery: Who is the mysterious girl who constantly appears next to Solor, only visible to him? And what might have been the response of the real Nureyev's dog to the production? As Solor muses at the outset, "All animal stories are really about people, not animals." That's what makes it so entertaining - especially in this case: A bow to the dog!
- The novella "Nureyev's Dog or What Longing Can Do" by Elke Heidenreich initially brought Nureyev's pet Rottweiler into the limelight, inspiring the current dance and music production.
- In this production, the Rottweiler character, portrayed masterfully by Florian Carove, interacts with the narrator "Solor" and other characters, engaging in a heartwarming and humorous journey.
- Social media is abuzz with discussions about "Nureyev's Dog," praising its unique blend of loss, friendship, and entertainment, as well as its colorful musical program.
- As the story unfolds, Solor, (played by Sebastian Wendelin), muses on the human nature behind animal stories, emphasizing that even our four-legged friends can teach us valuable lessons about personal fulfillment and the enduring bond between man and dog.
