Review: The Great Gatsby A New Ballet

Inna purchased two tickets to The World Ballet Company's The Great Gatsby Ballet at the Heritage Theater in Campbell, CA.

The dancers were excellent but I am not a big fan of ballet in general. I think some dialogue would have been helpful to move the story forward and explain the relationships between all the main characters. The set design was excellent and really helped to showcase the roaring 1920s. The costumes were beautiful but did not always match the 1920s flapper dresses.

A brief Synopsys of the Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald from Perplexity.ai:

The Great Gatsby, set in the summer of 1922, tells the story of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire, and his obsessive pursuit of his former love, Daisy Buchanan. The novel is narrated by Nick Carraway, who moves to New York to work as a bond salesman and rents a house next to Gatsby's lavish mansion in West Egg, Long Island.

Nick reconnects with his cousin Daisy and her husband Tom Buchanan, who live across the bay in East Egg. He learns that Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson, the wife of a garage owner. Gatsby, known for his extravagant parties, befriends Nick and enlists his help to reunite with Daisy, whom he loved years before going to war. 

Gatsby and Daisy rekindle their relationship, leading to tensions with Tom. During a confrontation in New York City, Tom reveals that Gatsby's wealth comes from illegal activities. Daisy, torn between the two men, ultimately chooses Tom. 

The story climaxes when Daisy, driving Gatsby's car, accidentally kills Myrtle Wilson. Gatsby takes the blame to protect Daisy. Myrtle's husband George, believing Gatsby to be both the driver and Myrtle's lover, shoots Gatsby and then himself.

The novel concludes with Gatsby's sparsely attended funeral, highlighting the hollowness of the wealthy society he sought to join. Through this tragic tale, Fitzgerald critiques the American Dream and the excesses of the Roaring Twenties.

According to The World Ballet Company:

Step into the jazzy world of the Roaring Twenties with this new production of the World Ballet Company. See the glitz, glamor, and tragic romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel LIVE on stage, featuring a multinational cast of 40 professional ballet dancers, an all-star creative team, lustrous hand-crafted costumes, and lavish, groundbreaking sets. The original score evokes the energy and atmosphere of the 1920s.

 

In The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald explores several moral laws and critiques the ethical decay of 1920s society. The novel highlights the following key moral themes:

1. Corruption of the American Dream
   Fitzgerald critiques the transformation of the American Dream from a pursuit of hard work and integrity into a shallow chase for wealth and status. Gatsby's wealth, acquired through illegal means, symbolizes the corruption of this dream. His failure to achieve true happiness or acceptance underscores the futility of materialism over genuine values like love and honesty.
2. Immorality and Carelessness
   The characters exhibit infidelity, dishonesty, greed, and recklessness. Tom's abusive nature, Daisy's selfishness, Myrtle's infidelity, and Jordan's dishonesty reveal a lack of accountability and moral integrity. Their actions often lead to tragic consequences, such as Myrtle's death, yet they avoid responsibility by retreating into their wealth and privilege.
3. The Pursuit of Wealth at Any Cost
   Gatsby’s illegal activities to amass wealth reflect the moral compromises people make to climb the social ladder. This is mirrored by other characters who prioritize material gain over ethical behavior, such as Myrtle's affair with Tom to escape her lower-class life.
4. Hollowness of Relationships
   The novel critiques relationships driven by convenience or status rather than genuine love. Daisy’s choice to remain with Tom despite his infidelity reflects her prioritization of security over emotional connection. Similarly, Gatsby’s idealized love for Daisy is rooted in her status as a symbol of success rather than true intimacy.

Through these themes, The Great Gatsby exposes the moral failings of a society obsessed with wealth and status while neglecting virtues like honesty, accountability, and compassion.

Score: Anna Drubich

Choreography: Ilya Jivoy

Set Design: Sergey Novikov

Great Gatsby Review

Highlights

• The dancing was excellent and helped to move the story forward
• The set design was exceptional
• The costumes were excellent (though not matching 1920's

Lowlights

• Without dialogue, dancing alone was insufficient to describe the nuisance of the story
• There was no orchestra. A live orchestra would have sounded better