The ballet production “The Great Gatsby”

Last week I had the pleasure of attending the ballet production that falls under the title of the classic novel “The Great Gatsby“. The book was written by the author who will live on in the hearts of his readers for centuries to come – Francis Scott Fitzgerald. The emotion that this brilliant retelling of the story of the undying love between Gatsby and Daisy evoked in me riveted me to the white page and compelled me to express my thoughts on the experience.

The team of professionals behind this work of high art trapped my attention in the story through the choice of music, the costumes, the sets, the exquisite and artful movements and the unerring theatrics. But above all, it was the work of renowned choreographer and director Leo Muich that came to the fore, as she had perfectly captured the charm of the Jazz Age in this production. Technically brilliant, emotionally charged poetry expressed through body language. 

With every pirouette, leap and arabesque, I could see the precision and passion that the dancers put into every movement. The performers cast in the lead roles of Jay Gatsby and Daisy Buchanan, namely Frederico Pinto and Marta Petkova, showed their deep understanding of their characters, conveying their complex emotions through dance with nuance and depth. 

Not an easier task is that of Simeon Atanasov and Katerina Petrova, who took on the multi-layered characters of Jordan Baker and Nick Caraway. F.S. Baker himself was a great character in the film. Fitzgerald claimed that without their intervention, the story of Daisy and Gatsby would not exist.

The carefully chosen musical arrangement was the thing that visibly moved the audience in the auditorium by putting smiles of wonder on their faces. The musical score included specially selected works by American composers George Gershwin, Samuel Barber, Benny Goodman and Leonard Bernstein. 

“Not only am I inspired by the brilliant story, but I want to do a modern reading, which is expressed in the change of means of expression. I want to make reference to movements, the non-verbal language we use to communicate in ballet, using beautiful American music by different composers,” says the choreographer. 

The lavish costumes and beautiful sets finally transported us to the Jazz Age. We were honored to witness the work of Stefano Katunar, the award-winning set designer in the visual arts, and stylist Manuela Paladin Shabanovic, whose unique talent has transported audiences to other dimensions since 2011. The attention to detail and years of professional experience in both fields was evident from afar, it greatly enhanced the overall aesthetic and atmosphere of the entire ballet experience.

The Great Gatsby Ballet is visually stunning and emotionally impressive, leaving you wanting to soak up more of the beauty and grace of this art unfolding before you and for you on stage. The plot moved so minutely with the story based on the book that it gave a personal feel to the whole performance. The combination of the well-chosen music, the lighting, the costumes, the hair, the sets, the dancers, the energy, and the entire team of professionals behind the magical show that we faced speechless with delight was a kind of bow and tribute to the great author “guilty” of creating an immortal novel, The Great Gatsby.

By Ali.