A brisk wind was swirling through Aberdeen on an icy January night, but it was Scottish Ballet’s The Snow Queen that sent chills through the His Majesty’s audience.
Frosty yet fiery, the spell-binding interpretation of Hans Christian Andersen’s classic tale revolves around The Snow Queen and her sister, the Summer Princess, who live in an isolated Ice Palace.
Longing to leave, the Princess begs The Snow Queen to use her enchanted mirror to show her the future. After she sees herself embracing a handsome stranger, she runs away, leaving the Queen brokenhearted.
Determined to bring her runaway sister back, The Snow Queen hatches an evil plot and becomes entangled in the lives of two young lovers Kai and Gerda.
Snow Queen warms hearts in Aberdeen
From the bustle of a winter’s market to the shivers of a fairytale forest, the wintry tale – which also sparked Frozen – took last night’s audiences on a beautiful journey of selfless love.
Leading the way pointed-toe first was gifted principal Bethany Kingsley-Garner who was mystifyingly impressive as the titular character. Her scenes with fellow principal Bruno Micchiardi – who portrayed Gerda’s true love Kai – were my personal highlight of the night. Their dance scene in the Icy Palace towards the end of the second act was breathtaking.
The other two female leads – Claire Souet as Gerda and Kayla-Maree Tarantolo as the Summer Princess – were brilliant too. And the show’s two clowns easily warmed up the ballet’s icy plot, bringing a bit of physical comedy and circus tricks to Wednesday’s performance.
Stunning sets, costumes music and choreography
While Christopher Hampson’s The Snow Queen made everything look so effortless, it truly is a wonder to be able to tell a story with no words.
The ballerinas’ beautifully choreographed intricate movements were enhanced by lush costumes and framed by stunning moving sets, both designed by Lez Brotherston.
Set to Russian composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov’s captivating melody, Scottish Ballet Orchestra proved live music really plays a key role in bringing the timeless story to life. Not only did the musical backdrop help dancers become one with the music, but it also gently guided audiences by creating different moods that coloured how they saw and experienced each scene.
The whole experience was simply beautiful – The Snow Queen is guaranteed to melt your heart.
His Majesty’s Theatre will remain The Snow Queen’s Icy Palace until Saturday January 21. Tickets can be purchased here.
Scottish Ballet’s winter treat will then cast a magic spell on Inverness from January 25 to 28. Click here for more information and tickets.
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