"I always thought ballet would be a music box come to life. A dainty princess twirls in a stiff tutu while a prince solemnly assists, and the whole performance would serve up a tax-free inheritance in pointe shoes - polished, rarefied, and untouched by mortal concerns like gravity or sweat. In reality, one heroine fumbles every life decision and ends up in a swamp."
"Then comes Raymonda, a 19th-century prima ballerina in a world of men, but now she's holding all the cards: She can marry Harry, mess around with Ike, and be Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman. At least, that's Creative Director Tamara Rojo's take for San Francisco Ballet. Our OG heroine is a noblewoman from 1898 and has perfect posture, but minimal personal agency; She twirls for the affection of two men, one a war hero, the other a bad boy."
Modern ballet often subverts expectations of delicate spectacle with flawed heroines, surreal concepts, and contemporary violence. Raymonda has been reconceived as a 19th-century noblewoman granted greater autonomy, able to pursue marriage choices and a career-like role modeled on Florence Nightingale. The update preserves Petipa's love triangle while removing fatal outcomes, shifting the protagonist's conflict from solely romantic longing to include professional ambition. Sasha De Sola's portrayal centers on heart and career tension rather than battlefield caregiving. The production juxtaposes classical technique with feminist reframing and tonal shifts toward romantic-comedy tropes.
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