The Great Gatsby is
one of my all-time favorite love stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald that takes
place during the roaring 1920’s. The book was the subject of two grand movies. In 1973 Robert Redford portrayed Gatsby and Mia Farrow was Daisy, his love obsession. In 2013
it was remade with Leonardo DiCaprio. It’s
a tale about a tragic love affair between married Daisy and the wealthy and
mysterious Gatsby. The Pittsburgh Ballet
kicked off it’s 50th Year
Anniversary with this revised production of The
Great Gatsby performed to a newly commissioned original score played by the PBT
Orchestra. I was excited to see the
dance interpretation of this cinematic drama of passion, betrayal and obsessive
love.
Reflection
Developing a childhood crush on Robert Redford as Gatsby, I
attended several movie viewings and knew the story well. In the summer of 1922,
the millionaire Gatsby carrying a torch for Daisy, his love interest from the war, secures a mansion across the lake from her. He threw lavish
parties to impress the debutante and entice
her attendance. Daisy, who was unhappy in her marriage to Tom, a womanizer with a mistress, reunites with
Gatsby for a summer love affair. Daisy’s cousin, Nick, visiting that summer narrates the summer of passion. The story ends when Gatsby’s car
crashes which spirals a series of events that results in his murder. All this action was danced in PBT’s production of The Great Gatsby.
Credit: Aimee DiAndrear Artists Luca Sbrizzi and Hannah Carter |
The dancing took flight
during Gatsby’s parties even injecting the tango (a popular dance of the time) and by the industrial workers in the Valley of Ashes. The glitz and glamour of
the 1920’s was made part of the set design and the costumes of flapper dresses
and tuxedos. The composition by Carl Davis flowed at times like a movie score and it wove a flair of American jazz throughout the
show which was prevalent in this era.
The Great Gatsby is an adventurous interpretation of this tale of passion, betrayal and obsessive love through movement. If you refresh your
knowledge of the story, this ballet soars as a cinematic drama of this wild summer of romance through dance.
Other Sources
PBT pbt.org
1973 Movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=519P4KnKy9Q
2012 Movie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rARN6agiW7o