The Forest Song is a legendary ballet, which for over 75 years remains not only the pride of Ukrainian, but also of world choreography and cultural heritage, along with such ballet hits as Giselle, La Sylphide. The ballet is based on the eponymous drama extravaganza of the great Ukrainian poetess Lesya Ukrainka to the musical motives of Ukrainian composer Mykhailo Skorulsky, whose music gives a real uplifting mood to the audience.
The Forest Song
It is a magical love story full of mystery. It tells a tale of love between a fantastic forest creature Mavka and a man – Lukash. Emotional music immerses the viewer in the mysterious world of mythical creatures with the participation of mermaids, forest spirits, dangerous devils, kelpies, meeting with whom changes the fate of man. The ballet contains many mythological images from Ukrainian fairy tales, which the folk imagination settled in the ancient Volyn forests and its endless fields.
The composer subtly conveyed Ukrainian motives, features of musical folklore of Volyn. While working on the ballet, Mykhailo Skorulsky created a real anthem of wildlife nature and true love, to which the main characters aspire. Their love has its stages,which can be characterized by each season. As in Lesya Ukrainka’s writing, so in ballet, Spring is an acquaintance and the beginning of the relationship between Lukash and Mavka. Summer is the flowering of their love, it is the fertility of Ukrainian lands. Autumn is Lukash’s betrayal, he marries another woman. Lukash and Mavka died in the Winter, but their souls met in another world.
The viewer is impressed not only by the fascinating storyline, but also by the choreography itself. The ballet is filled with complex duet supports, numerous jumps of artists, rotations, diagonal fuettes and incredible choreographic drawings. Legends of enchanted forest creatures seem to come alive on stage and are woven into the magical movements of graceful ballerinas. Every detail in the play immerses in the mystical mysterious world of fantastic creatures, which helps to believe in the existence of higher forces of nature, and brings on stage a real fairy tale for adults and children.
