Prelude Story

How The Ballet Story Came To Be


This prelude story is not the ballet story, but it tells all about the magical way this ballet came to be.

:-)


I want to read this story

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his day, in this land, there stands a

beautiful but imperiled ancient forest. Yet,

its spirits dance as they have since time began.

So powerful is the forest's magic, common folk

say you can daily see the spirits' processions

just by gazing in their direction.


nce upon a time, the townspeople

and forest lived happily side by side. But

one dark year, the ivy withered and died

upon the great fence surrounding the beautiful

land. Those who guarded the ancient land had

decided to sell it to developers. Where before

there was joy, now townspeoples' eyes clouded

with tears as they passed the condemned forest.

The seller would not reconsider the decision.

The seller could no longer see nor feel the

spirits of the ancient land.

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Sell the land?
Destroy the spirits?

What could possibly be done
to stop them?










































One moonlit night, the spirits assembled.

To save themselves, they would have to be

seen and felt once again. A wise Hamadryad

intoned, "Our current stewards have forgotten

how to see us. Even though we are the givers

of human solace and inspiration, many have

lost sight of this. A dark force has acted upon

their vision. As creatures of the ether, we

cannot know the nature of this evil, but we

must overpower it." The Hamadryad paused;

then, in low notes, gravely spoke again,

"There is still a place where we can be seen

and felt by all people: It is within their art!"

The spirits deliberated long into the night.

By morning a plan was laid out.

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The spirits saving themselves with art?
But how?
What kind of art?































Because the stewards answered to the language

of their own culture, classical art would convey

the spirits' message.


They would get help from the place where time

has no bounds.

For music, they went to the great composer

Ludwig van Beethoven, whose profound

reverence for nature, and sympathy

for the spirits, could induce the most

earthbound of human souls to soar. They

moved him to compose a work for ballet

in the guise of a creation story. But its true

purpose would not be envisioned for nearly

two hundred years. Through the great

composer, the spirits encoded the music with

the story of their 20th century plight, so that

those who could save them would see and

feel them once again.

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Beethoven.
Go on.







































he spirits kept the work intact for

two centuries.

By the mid 20th century, the spirits began

sending a general call to all earth's young

people, and by the late 20th century, a

renewed interest in classical art had begun

to surge. Near the enchanted forest, an

unusual number of children grew up to

become involved in the arts. Still more

artists moved in. Painters began to frequent

the forest. Composers, poets and dancers

created works inspired by the land. There

were many earnest souls who were drawn

to the spirits' beauty.


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20th century artists drawn to the spirits' beauty?
Such things happen?
What happens next?



































As the hour grew desperate, a painter who

had grown up by the wood heard their call.

All the pieces fell into place. While painting

about the spirits' land, the artist heard the

music and the encoded story was uncovered.


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But time grows short.
How can this story have a happy ending?



































But time grows short.


The found story that so urgently needs

telling has yet to be given its visible

form. Will those who could save the

spirits finally see and feel them again?


How this tale ends
still waits to be seen...








More from the book reading experience:


Opening

As the winds blow over town...



Tribute

For my father, who understands



Letter

Dear [Artistic Director]...



The Ballet Story

Our story begins in a place where
there is little left from the Early Time.



Return to Entry Page for Ballet Proposal


You are in Proposals in the Idea Library


Also in the Idea Library:

Explanatory Comments

Study Collection

Museum Notes

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Rebecca Alzofon can be e-mailed at rebecca@art.net
This page created: August 19, 1996