By VERA PROTASSOFF
Paris - Buenos-Aires. Love Story
Ballet in 2 Acts
Edition 1
2019-2020
My dear readers, dancers, actors and directors!
Mini-ballet “Paris - Buenos Aires. Love Story " had been written as a musical response to the approaching 80-th anniversary (September 1, 2019) from the day the World War II had began - that interrupted millions of lives and destinies on all continents.
The ballet can be seen as part of the show on Victory Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, to the memories of Holocaust victims as well as part of annual performances of dance schools.
Ballet "Paris - Buenos Aires…" is recommended for both professional and non-professional dance studios.
Since the plot involves a number of different characters, dancers of all levels can participate in the performance, that is, students, teachers, and guest performers.
Thus, by staging the ballet "Paris - Buenos Aires" studio teachers will be able to show their professionalism as well as capabilities of their studios.
I'd greatly appreciate your advice and recommendations, for instance, on additions or changes to the libretto, and will gladly answer your questions.
Sincerely yours,
Vera Protassoff,
Author
Dance is life - life is dance
Libretto
Act 1
Summer 1939. Paris.
A Jewish girl, Julie, student of University of Sorbonne, and Miguel, an Argentinian dance teacher, meet by chance in a park. He teaches her to show her feelings in dance, and she, in turn, introduces him to the world of literature. Young people fall in love with each other. They are happy.
The WWII begins. Miguel must go home. They say goodbye and swear love to each other.
Immediately after Miguel's train departs, an air raid begins, during which Julie's family is killed. She grieves for her loved ones and for Hector whom she believes to have died in that air raid, too.
Julie's friend Margot invites her to immigrate to Argentina. The girls leave for Buenos Aires.
However, Miguel survived.
Throughout the war, he fought in the French Resistance, shoulder to shoulder with many people of different nations.
After the war, Miguel was looking for Julie, and not finding her, he considers her dead. Miguel returns to Argentina.
Act 2
At home, remembering Julie and her love for books, Miguel decides to study.
Friends call him to milongas, but Miguel prefers silence of library.
But once, having heard the melody to which he taught Julie the Argentine tango, Hector decides to go to a milonga.
In the club, he again feels desperate about his dead girl friend, but decides to stay, as not to spoil the event for his friends.
He pulls his hat over his forehead and settles himself with a glass of wine in a corner of the club.
Meanwhile, in the outskirts of Buenos-Aires, Julie leads a secluded life, going to church and continuing to grieve for Miguel.
Her friend Margot, on the contrary, is determined to get everything back that the war took away from the girls.
Margot enthusiastically learns Argentine tango and invites Julie to go with her to a milonga to feel the joy of youth again.
Julie refuses: she does not need a milonga without Miguel.
However, one day, Julie agrees.
She puts on a simple dress and a thick veil and sits down in a corner with a book, only occasionally raising her head to the dancers.
At the familiar sounds of their favorite tango, Miguel and Julie simultaneously raise their heads but they do not recognize each other yet.
Miguel, looking at a thin figure of a lonely girl reminding him of his dead girlfriend, decides to invite that girl to dance, and silently approaches her, holding out his hand. Julie from behind her veil sadly says no.
Miguel asks why, takes off his hat, and bows slightly, repeating his invitation to dance.
Gradually, their faces turn from sad to gentle, from gentle to joyful and confident in a happy future.
Notes for producer and director
1. Execution of the plot
1.1 Elements of the libretto that are difficult or impossible to show in a dance - park in Paris, the beginning of a war, moving to Argentina - the author proposes to show, for example, as photo or video decoration and/or photo or video text.
1.2 The above will require a video projector and a large screen that may need to be hung on the back wall of the stage.
1.3 Lighting equipment will be required.
1.4 A music center will be needed.
2. Personnel
2.1 Producer
2.2 Director
2.3 Video and audio technician(s)
2.4 Costume designer
2.5 Dresser
2.6 Make-up artist
2.7 Marketing assistant / agent
List of characters
Julie - French, university student; performer of about 17 - 35 years old;
(non-professional)
Miguel - Argentinian, dance teacher; performer of about 20-25 - 45 years old; (preferably professional)
People in the park and guests of the milonga:
minimum - five couples
optimal - ten to twelve couples
(Socio- and age variation - at the discretion of the director / producer)
People in the park:
policeman
ice cream seller
balloon seller
bike student
two or three elderly couples
a little old woman with gray curls, wearing lace gloves and a hat, leading a little dog on a leash
a blonde with a baby carriage and her older children:
little boy with a bright toy truck on a string
little girl with a big doll;
big important gentleman wearing glasses and a hat (with a big cat on his knees);
two men wearing good suits and ties, one with a valise (like a doctor),
the other one with a briefcase (like a lawyer or official)
nurse
secretary... and so on.
Guests at the milonga:
Margot, Julie's friend, looks and dances the best;
Margot is a passionate good-looking woman, hungry for love and admiration.
A tall, slender, dark-skinned middle-aged gentleman, richly dressed.
He is a great dancer with somewhat arrogant gaze;
in dance, with varying degrees of success, he tries to dominate Margot.
Hispanic dancers ~ looking 25-35 years old, well dressed, best dancers whatsoever (Ernesto and his group? ...)
students
elderly ladies and gentlemen, slim and plump, beginners and advanced dancers
sailors wearing vests and flared trousers
(And so on, at the discretion of the director and choreographer)
Comments to interpreting scenes
Act 1
Scene one
A park in Paris, afternoon.
On the back wall of the stage, there is a large screen that shows the outline of Notre Dame Cathedral and the silhouette of the Eiffel Tower.
In the foreground, left and right, there are several benches and fake trees symbolizing the park.
Space in the center is reserved for dancing.
Pleasant, light music plays quietly, for example, "Under the sky of Paris", performed on piano.
Screen text: End of July 1939, Paris, France.
Julie is sitting on the central bench, wearing glasses, dark pigtails, simple dress, flat shoes. She is reading a book.
There are more books on a bench nearby.
Julie takes a photograph out of her book and looks at it with a smile.
On the screen, "this" photo shows: Julie's family.
After that, the Notre Dame Cathedral and the Eiffel Tower "return" to the screen.
Behind Julie on the right - another bench on which an importantly looking gentleman sits, with a cat on his lap and a newspaper in his hands.
Music change: "Under the sky of Paris" is replaced by a nice rumba, first, playing quietly, then, gradually getting louder.
Across from Julie is an ice cream vendor.
Next to him is a balloon seller.
Both beckon buyers with gestures.
An elderly lady with a dog on a leash passes unhurriedly.
Jumping towards the above lady is a little boy.
He is carrying a large toy car on a string, and
he buys an ice cream cone and a balloon.
A little girl lulls a doll on a bench next to a woman rocking a baby carriage.
Music change: Rumba gradually dies down and is replaced by stormy salsa.
To the sounds of salsa, from behind the stage, a group of young people in European costumes of the late 30s rushes out laughing loudly.
They begin to dance.
From time to time, Julie looks up at the dancers with timid admiration.
The central couple - Miguel with a partner - is the best.
The dance ends, and from a distance, wheels clatter and a train whistle sound, and Miguel's partner picks up a suitcase and leaves, waving at the others.
Scene two
As the reader knows, the dancer left without a partner is the teacher and dancer Miguel, an Argentinean.
Miguel looks around the park in search of a new partner, and sees Julie.
Miguel invites Julie to dance.
Julie feels shy, but Miguel insists gently.
Julie goes to dance salsa with Miguel.
Miguel corrects and encourages her with a friendly smile.
The dance ends, Julie and Miguel go backstage.
The remaining dancers perform the next two dances.
During this time, Julie adds blush, changes into a more feminine costume and puts on black high-heeled shoes which indicates to the audience that Julie is falling in love with Miguel.
Scene three
The next dance of Miguel and Julie is at a fast pace, with more complex movements.
Julie and Miguel smile at each other.
Scene four
On the screen, the sun gives way to the moon, the light slowly fades and turns on again.
In the park, the same characters, in slightly changed positions and costumes.
The big important gentleman "today" sits next to the old woman. (Their cat and dog stayed at home "today").
---Quiet sounds of music, for example, in the rhythm of "cha-cha".
A policeman walks through the park.
A girl sells balloons.
The ice cream maker is the same.
Woman with a stroller "today" wears different dress or blouse.
Julie wears the same simple dress, but “today” she has a beautiful scarf around her shoulders; flat shoes, but with bows, braids are pinned at the back of the head, Julie's face is somewhat made up.
Now Julie looks more and more like a charming girl enjoying beauty and youth.
Julie is reading a book, and her posture shows that she is no longer so shy.
Salsa dancers run out again and cheerfully greet Julie.
Julie smiles and waves to them because now she is happy to be one of dancers, too.
Miguel appears, and they dance two or three dances.
Julie dances modestly, but joyfully, and smiles openly at Miguel and the audience.
Scene five
A policeman with an air of importance invites a girl with balloons to dance.
The big gentleman bows ceremoniously and invites the elderly lady to dance.
They pretend to hobble onto the dance floor, yet dance quickly and confidently, despite their "age", symbolizing the unity of generations and nations under the influence of music.
When the dance ends, the big gentleman and the old woman comically return to their bench, for example, limping and rubbing their lower backs, or pretending to be out of breath.
Scene six
On the screen, the moon is replaced by the sun again.
Julie gives Miguel a few books, and Miguel hands her a pair of golden high heels.
They say goodbye and disperse, and each with a joyful smile examines the other's gift.
Scene Seven
In the morning, Miguel appears first in the same park.
The birds are singing, indicating that it is "now" early in the morning.
Miguel enthusiastically reads a book and writes in his notebook.
A melody starts to sound, for example, "Under the sky of Paris".
Julie arrives.
Julie wears a beautiful open dress, bright make-up, high hairdo, and golden shoes.
Miguel speaks to her excitedly, clutching books to his chest.
Julie smiles happily and makes a graceful, beautiful movement, such as triple turn, showing her enthusiasm for Miguel's success in studying.
Miguel and Julie again dance a few dances, surrounded by other dancers.
Miguel and Julie hug each other.
The old grey lady smiles and makes a cross in the air toward Miguel and Julie from a distance, meaning her praying for their happiness.
Scene Eight
Music gradually fades away and is replaced by complete silence, and then by a quiet, increasing beat (for example, a metronome).
An alarming loud melody sounds: the war has begun.
A short video is shown on the screen at this time, with images of newspapers from different countries reporting the beginning of the WWII.
The video ends.
The sounds of an approaching train are heard, Miguel has to leave for his homeland.
Miguel and Julie exchange photographs that the audience sees on the screen.
They dance tango to the sounds, for example, "Goodbye...".
Miguel walks backstage.
The sound of the train leaving is fading.
Julie stands in a sad, motionless pose and looks toward backstage.
Sounds of bombing begin.
An image of a destroyed train and destroyed house appear on the screen, indicating that both Miguel and Julie's family have died during the air raid.
Several measures “Under the sky of Paris” sound, for example, like a violin solo, very high, for example, in the second octave, in slow motion, then the music breaks off at an unstable step with the sound, for example, of a broken string.
The next image on the screen is a photo of Julie's family and a photo of Miguel that he gave to Julie as a goodbye.
Both pictures on the screen slowly fade away, accompanied by the sounds of air raid sirens, railroad station noise and crying.
On the screen are scraps of broken children's toys, baby carriage, ice cream carts, trampled flowers and burning trees and images of other destroyed objects that were shown or used in the previous scenery.
Scene nine
Julie and her friend Margot take the stage.
Both are wearing black dresses, on their backs - Stars of David indicating prosecution of Jews.
The girls hug each other, their shoulders tremble.
They dance a slow Argentine tango "solo", showing that all their loved ones have died.
At this time, an image of a large steamer appears on the screen with an inscription on board: “ Santa Victoria - Buenos-Aires ”.
Margot and Julie look at each other and nod: they decide to immigrate to Argentina.
They take their suitcases and, having cast a farewell glance at the park, go backstage.
Scene nine A
On the screen, to the intensifying sounds of the melody "Under the sky of Paris", several photographs of French partisans, " maquis ", being on the night streets, by the fire, etc., replace each other, among which the audience recognizes Hector and realizes that Hector did not die, but fought in the French Resistance throughout the war.
Scene ten
Maqui's partisan camp in France. Night bonfire.
Around the fire - several tired men and women - wearing military uniforms from different countries, and/or simple trousers and shirts, and/or rural clothes, and/or striped uniform of a concentration camp prisoner, and/or sailors vests and flared trousers.
Among them is Miguel.
People examine and carefully pass to each other the glued and half-burnt photographs of their loved ones (shown on the screen).
A sailor gets up and offers his hand to a girl in peasant clothes.
Sounds, for example, "Dark Night" in the rhythm of tango.
The couple is dancing Argentine tango on a small patch,
symbolizing longing of the war generation for a peaceful life and love (and also demonstrating that a studio with a small area is enough to teach and learn Argentine tango).
Further on the screen are words: May 8, 1945, the Reichstag, etc. The war ended.
Scene eleven
Again the same park in Paris.
Semi-burnt trees.
Miguel sits on the edge of a broken bench and reads a letter.
On the screen, there is an image of that letter over which is written in large print: "presumably died."
Miguel lowers his head, nods sadly and performs a short pantomime dance to show his despair and hopelessness, and leaves.
To the soft sounds of a slow tango, a steamer appears on the screen, docking in Buenos-Aires.
Miguel returns to his homeland.
--- End of Act I ----
----Intermission----
Act 2
Scene one
Buenos Aires.
On the screen, the interior of Julie's room at the church school is shown:
window to garden, bookshelf, bed, and a big mirror on the wall.
There is a small writing desk on the stage.
On the table, there are a Bible, a candle, and a photograph of Miguel.
Julie sits at the desk and reads the Bible.
Then Julie closes the Bible and picks up a photo of Miguel (several seconds on the screen - a photo of Hector, then again the interior of the room).
At this time, Julie's friend Margot enters the room.
Margot is brightly dressed, her head is up, and she is in a great mood.
She invites Julie to a milonga, smiling proudly, making beautiful tango steps through the room and admiring herself in the mirror.
(At this moment, the poster shows up on the screen: we invite you to milonga, Esperanza nightclub.)
Julie shakes her head.
Margot begs. For example, she folds her hands in front of her as in prayer, shows Julie with gesture: you are beautiful, look what hair and slim figure you have, etc..
Julie smiles sadly, but refuses, clutching to the photo of Hector.
Margot insists: she points to Miguel's photo and then to the sky, as if saying, “Miguel up there would be happy if you danced as he taught you to”.
Julie is again deep in memories.
On the screen at this time, black and white footage of Julie’s memories:
Miguel teaches Julie to dance.
Miguel and Julie are dancing salsa or tango.
Miguel and Julie smile at each other.
Then, image of interior of Julie’s room returns to the screen.
Julie nods hesitantly, indicating that she agrees to go to a milonga with Margot.
Julie sighs: she is not sure she is doing the right thing.
Margot shows great delight and passionately hugs Julie.
The light slowly goes out, and music begins to sound.
Scene two
University Library in Buenos-Aires.
On the screen, there are rows of tables and shelves filled with books.
On the stage, there is a desk with a lit table lamp.
Hector sits at the desk reading a book.
(The light of the lamp symbolizes Hector's goal to do something significant that his deceased adorable girlfriend would greatly approve.)
A slow samba is played softly, indicating that Hector's priorities and pace of life have changed.
Miguel takes a photograph of Julie out of the book (appears on the screen) and looks at it intently, with love, for a few seconds.
Several brightly dressed friends of Hector rush into the library.
Friends say to Miguel with signs: let's go to the milonga.
Friends stop and do some beautiful Argentine tango moves.
(There is a poster on the screen: we invite you to milonga, the Esperanza nightclub.)
Miguel shakes his head.
Friends leave.
On the screen, his "black and white" memories:
Miguel teaches Julie to dance.
Miguel and Julie are dancing salsa, cha-cha or tango.
Miguel and Julie smile at each other.
Further, Miguel, for example, covers his face with his hands, showing his despair and longing for Julie.
On the screen, there is an open window.
“From the window” Miguel hears the noise of a big city: for example, the noise of cars and trams, ambulance signals, etc.
Then Miguel hears the noise of a dance club: laughter, music, clinking glasses, slamming doors.
The noise fades, and the same Argentine tango melody begins to sound to which Miguel danced with Julie.
Miguel looks up from the book and listens intently and thoughtfully.
Then Miguel quickly gets up and leaves the library.
Scene three
Night club "Esperanza".
On the screen, there is image of a bar counter with the inscription
"Esperanza. Dum spiro, spero” (While I breathe, I hope)
In the foreground, there are several tables.
At the tables - teachers and students of the studio representing milonga guests.
(Note: in the dance movements, it should be demonstrated (“played”) that in the post-WWII multinational Argentina, milonga that was affordable to everyone was not only entertainment, but to some extent a substitute for family and love that the war had taken away from many.)
Music sounds.
In the first few seconds, people sit at the tables motionless, in different poses, some depicting friendliness, some sadness of loneliness, some having hope, interest, expectation of joy, etc..
In the back of the room, Julie sits with a book.
Julie wears simple dark dress, a thick veil on her beautiful hair, and graceful black shoes.
From time to time Julie looks up at the dancers.
Scene four
Miguel enters the club.
His hat is pulled over his forehead.
At this moment, the motionless figures of dancers "come to life".
The guests of the milonga talk, hold each other's hands, flirt, laugh, drink, etc..
Miguel sits down far from Julie.
A waiter with a tray approaches him.
Miguel takes a glass of wine, pulls his hat tighter over his forehead, sits down
and slowly sips his wine.
A beautiful song begins.
The guests of the milonga begin to dance, couple after couple.
For example, one couple dances the first dance.
Second dance - the second and third couples are added, etc..
(Note. In this scene, each couple becomes the center of attention for a while, demonstrating to the audience a few new movements.)
After a few dances, the same song begins to which Hector and Julie danced their cha-cha in Paris.
The song makes an accent or tiny break, then sounds again a bit softer, then louder, indicating a very important moment.
Both Miguel and Julie slowly and simultaneously look up and at the dancers.
Julie then lowers her head again.
Miguel notices Julie.
Miguel doesn't recognize Julie yet, but something makes him ask her to dance.
Julie at first refuses, but then lifts her veil.
Tango is interrupted for a moment.
An unexpected, sonorous chord sounds.
Miguel and Julie start dancing.
They do not take their eyes off each other.
With each beat, their dance becomes more complex, sharp, and fast.
Miguel and Julie continue to dance.
A bright light falls on the main characters.
Miguel takes Julie's hand, pointing at the screen as if it were a door.
On the screen, in the rays of the bright sun, the university library is shown.
Julie smiles approvingly at Miguel.
Miguel and Julie leave the milonga for the library and for their new and happy life.
Scene five
On the screen - a video from the video scenery of the first act.
Acquaintance, dance, war, bombing, steamer to Argentina, church school, library, and the faces of Miguel and Julie in the robes of university graduates;
Life-appreciating music sounds, such as, for instance, Frank Sinatra's song “My Way”.
On the screen - full-screen caption "Epilogue",
then "Many years have passed."
The aged Miguel and Julie take the stage to the rhythm of Argentine tango.
Gray hair, slow steps, and beautiful tango movements.
(Note: in addition to disclosing the plot, this scene also implies inviting people of any age to the studio.)
Julie’s and Miguel’s heads bowed to each other show that the heroes have lived a long and happy life.
---The end---
Sincerely yours,
Vera Protassoff,
Author