Tchaikovsky: The Man Behind the Music Ballet

     I didn't get to mention yet that I got to see the ballet Tchaikovsky: The Man Behind the Music on March 26th at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center. The performance, in the best way that I can describe in my own words, encapsulates the more personal side of Tchaikovsky in regards to his own love life - I guess you can say - and shows the emotional detriment he faced as he was restricted by his cultural environment and time to pursue a satisfactory relationship with another man. Additionally, it hints of the major influence his own mother had on his musical work later as a grown man, and how she acts as a sort of guide for the composer throughout the performance, which I find very interesting and sweet. The play commences with Tchaikovsky and his mother teaching him to play the violin where she unexpectedly becomes unwell and passes away; the play also ends with Tchaikovsky as a grown man in the throws of major distress accompanied with his passed on mother, who is seen caressing him , as well as his younger self as a boy next to him as he perceivably passes away. This is after committing himself to a woman who had more interest in him than he did in her by a long shot, but he felt as though he should follow the social customs of his time. I know I've been telling people in my personal life that this was an intense performance, but that is honestly the best way that I can describe it; and it was intense in a good way, of course. It was intense, dramatic, and, I feel, a very moving performance. I very much enjoyed watching it and I am glad I went. The dancer who performed as Tchaikovsky, who I see is Arman Zazyan in the event pamphlet, did an awesome job in trying to embody so much emotionality of the composer, and I certainly feel like he fulfilled the role and character perfectly. Both Zazyan and Dongshoon Lee ( who plays the male love interest Josef Kotek) did such a good job portraying the romantic tension between both characters throught the performance. The customes the female dancers wore, I thought, were very pretty and I think they looked awesome in them. Especially the dressed with the intense glitter and shine to them.

     What's funny, though, about this is that when I had initially purchased my ticket for the last show two days prior, I had for some reason thought this was going to be another concert by the Tulsa Symphony. Who was of course there. I had looked at the name of the event, saw that the Tulsa Symphony was going to be there and thought, "Oh, it's a Tchaikovsky concert!" I didn't piece it all together until hours before the event as I was at a Theosophical Society meeting on Cherry Street. I accidentally went to a ballet. I am glad I accidentally stumbled upon this! If anybody else stumbles upon the chance to see this ballet, I would highly encourage it!