Where in the World Wednesday: An Evening at the Russian Ballet

Where in the World?

St. Petersburg, Russia and a Night at the Russian Ballet

This week on Where in the World Wednesday, I'm taking you to the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory in St. Petersburg, Russia so that you can enjoy a look at the Russian Ballet, Swan Lake. The Swan Lake ballet is a true Russian classic composed by Pytor Tchaikovsky.

The Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory is a state facility that housed the first public music school in Russia. It was founded in the early 1860's and was the schooling place for composers like Tchiaikovsky, Dmitry Shostakovich and Jasha Heifetz. The conservatory was named after one of its instructors, Rimsky-Koraskov, to celebrate his centenary in 1940's.

Seeing the ballet in Russia made me cry like a baby. It was so beautiful, and the entire time I sat in the theater I just couldn't believe I was watching a ballet in Russia. Wonderful costumes, beautiful dancing, and intricate scenery -- and all happening in a place with such an important history and impact on music. The experience was extremely moving.

The story of Swan Lake is beautiful and romantic, its a tale of love between Prince Siegfried and a girl named Odette who is transformed into a Swan Queen by an evil magician named Rothbart. Although Prince Sigfried falls in love with Odette on his 21st birthday, he is tricked by Rothbart who has transformed his own daughter, Odile, into the image of Odette. Siegfried is not aware of the trickery and vows to marry Odile. And poor little Odette sees everything that has happened, and so she flees back to her lake in tragic agony. But Siegfried sees Odette running away and realizes his mistake. And just like Prince Charming, he goes after her. Sigfried finds Odette with the other swans lamenting her sad fate. Sigfriend explains his mistake, and through the power of selfless and true love, Odette forgives him. Like a fairytale, they live happily ever after in Heaven.

So anyways, far from Heaven and amidst the chaos that is my work studio, I was lamenting my own sad fate amongst my Swarovski pearl beads, and then felt inspired to make a pair of Swan Lake earrings especially for today's post-- a sort of way to capture my beautiful memories from an evening at the ballet in Russia. The result was this pair of Odette Earrings, which I just listed at my Etsy shop today.

Odette Earrings

Plunge into your romantic destiny wearing this pearlicious pair of cascade earrings which have been named after the vulnerable beauty of the swan princess, Odette, from the Swan Lake ballet. A graceful cascade of lustrous white Swarovski pearls are mixed with sterling silver components and silver chain. The earring hooks are sterling silver.

Happy Wednesday!