Written by Michael Thervil
When it comes to fine arts in the City of Houston, there are plenty of things to either get into or do entertainment wise, but right now the best thing going in Houston as far as fine arts is the Houston Ballet. Last Thursday, May 23, 2024, VEDA Magazine was given the golden opportunity to bear witness to the greatness of the Houston Ballet in all its glory. It was a glorious night in which audience members wore some of their best outfits that would be akin to Black Tie formal attire. Another interesting thing was the selection of gourmet food that was made available for purchase before the start of the ballet performance. This portion of the night’s festivities could be considered a sort of social “tailgate” in which one could network amongst the Elite in Houston Texas.
The name of this Houston Ballet production was “Mayerling”. The production Mayerling without intermissions ran a total of 134 minutes; with the intermissions (25 and 15 minutes respectively), the ballet production ran for a total of 174 minutes. The Mayerling performance consisted of the acts, with each act having its own look, message, and appeal which captivated audience members for the entire performance of the ballet.
According to the Houston Ballet, the Mayerling is “a three-act dark tale full of scandal, political intrigue, and morbid obsessions; this ballet created by Sir Kenneth McMillan and inspired by George Merrick’s 1974 book the Eagles Died intertwines classical storytelling with a psychological thriller edge.” We at VEDA Magazine can attest that the Houston Ballet’s description of the performance as being true. As there were moments during the performance that kept you on the edge of your seat.
The additional synopsis is as follows: “the truth about the double death of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria Hungary and the 17 year old Mary viscera has never been established because of an instant court cover up Rudolph unhappily political marriage to Princess Stephanie of Belgium his involvement with the Hungarian separatist cause and the oppressive opposition of his father Emperor Franz Joseph undoubtedly motivated the desperate conclusion at Marilyn’s memoirs and letters reveal that Rudolph was a depraved and often violent Prince and marry and obsessive girl only too ready to die for the idea of love.”
Now if you’re looking for spoilers, you won’t find them here as this is a performance that would be best if you saw it with your own eyes. The wardrobe selection along with the attention to detail is nothing short but outstanding. Another thing that we really enjoyed about the production of the Mayerling was the set design. From the ballroom to the tavern, to the countryside royal shoot and all the associated scenes in between, the Mayerling performance is surely a spectacle to the eye. We must absolutely mention that the ballet performers themselves are extremely talented and graceful as they display their talents and skills across the stage. Additionally, the orchestra was top notch.
If you’re in Houston Texas and the surrounding areas, and you if you have a love for the fine arts, especially when it comes to ballet performances, we highly recommend that you make your way down to the Wortham Theater Center, which is located at 501 Texas Avenue, Houston, TX 77002 to see the “Mayerling” ballet performance. Tickets start at $25, and we can attest that it's worth every penny and so much more. The next showings will be May 31st, and June 1st, 2024, at 7:30pm. You can purchase your tickets at the counter or at the Houston Ballet’s website here. This is a great date night idea, so put on your best clothing, and make sure you get out to see the Mayerling ballet performance by the Houston Ballet.
You can see more photos of the Houston Ballets Mayerling on out Instagram page at @veda_magazine.
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