Spot the Reference, Akt 23
The second one for the day. You know, working on them, I've come to realise that they really do belong together, these two episodes. Even more than other episodes, they seem to carry the same story and themes. (I think I might have to do the last two as a unit as well.)
Subtitle: Ruslan und Ludmilla
Introduction:
Once upon a time, there was a princess who was held captive.
She was imprisoned within the demon king's castle. And with freedom taken away from her, she had no choice but to dance like a puppet to the tune set by the whims of the demon king.
One day, a hero came to fight the demon king, seeking to save the princess. However, there was no way the hero could win against the demon king.
The hero did not know, you see, that he himself was a puppet created by the demon king.
Music:
Tutu in Drosselmeyer’s realm, Fakir wonders how to help: Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: Scheherezade: Mvt 4 “Festival in Bagdad - The Sea - Shipwreck - Conclusion”
Puppets welcome Tutu to their world and point out that the story has stopped without her: Delibes, Léo: Copelia: Act II, Scene 1 - "Music of the Automotons”
Tutu becomes a puppet, Fakir wonders what to write to help Tutu but finds the difficulty of writing at all to be terrible, the Monster Raven’s hunger and rage at Kraehe’s doubt, Kraehe flees: Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: Scheherezade: Mvt 2 “The Story of the Kalender Prince”
Drosselmeyer forces Tutu to dance and explains that being someone else’s puppet is the best kind of freedom, Uzura lands at the bottom of Drosselmeyer’s realm and wonders if she isn’t really Uzura at all, Uzura starts turning the gears of the story herself: Delibes, Léo: Copelia: Act II, Scene 1 - “Waltz of the Puppets”
Mytho mocks Kraehe’s belief that her fate is tied to his, he explains that fate was set the moment she bathed his blood in the Monster Raven’s blood, Kraehe thinks about taking out Mytho’s heart with her knife and killing herself if he dies but finds that she can’t bring herself to do so, Aotoa harasses Fakir who is still trying to figure out how to help Tutu, Drosselmeyer looks over his handiwork: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker: Act I, No.2 - March
Tutu drinks Tutu with Drosselmeyer and he talks to her about his story: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker: Act I, No.2 - March
The story starts to move in reverse thanks to Uzura, Rue wishes to remember nothing as all she remembers is pain: Beethoven, Ludwig von: Egmont Overture
Rue sees herself as a young girl meeting Mytho for the first time, Mytho protects her by destroying the attacking ravens, Rue follows him and brings him water, she makes up the name Rue (from the end of Kraehe) to introduce herself: Borodin, Alexander (orch. unknown): String Quartet No.2 in D-Major Mvt 3 “Nocturne” (orchestral)
The story starts running in reverse around Fakir but he and Tutu resist together, Fakir hears Tutu’s voice and a story starts writing itself with Fakir’s hand thus stopping Uzura from turning the gears back any further, Edel appears and shows Uzura that they are different from one another, Edel tells Uzura to return to Ahiru, Fakir’s story releases Tutu and Uzura: Glinka, Mikhail: Russlan & Ludmilla: Overture
Rue’s story keeps running backwards, Rue sees that she isn’t the Monster Raven’s daughter, Mytho (fully transformed into a raven) appears before Rue: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture
The subtitular music this time is Glinka's Ruslan und Ludmilla, based on Pushkin's epic poem. Note that Ludmilla was a daughter of Kiev, whose Great Gate we visited last episode.
There's also quite a bit of Scheherazade in this one, if you recognise the melodies from episode 12. It fittingly shows up in scenes with Fakir, writing and storytelling (the raven has so been feeding Kraehe/Rue a story. I can twist it to fit if I want to(!)).
Marionettes. They taunt Tutu, Tutu turns into one (and Copelia plays), Uzura meets Edel, and learns that she's more than a doll.
This is also the first time Fakir definitely breaks free from the story and writes his destiny - or rather, Duck/Tutu's.
And it's in high time, because Mytho is really, really creepy.
Rue's backstory. Who would win in an angst-off between her and Fakir? My money's on Rue, because at least Fakir had someone who loved him, while Rue had someone who emotionally abused her and told her it was love.
When she finds out the truth about her origin, her hair falls and her cloting changes, and she turns from Kraehe to Rue. She never becomes Kraehe again (as far as I remember).
Uzura in the tower. Again, this is after Drosselmeyer's "final" words. Is it a sign that the story is beginning to move out of his control?
Also, kind of funny: after Autor has spent a lot of time telling people to be quiet, this time Fakir tells him to be quiet.
That's it. Until next week, then.
Subtitle: Ruslan und Ludmilla
Introduction:
Once upon a time, there was a princess who was held captive.
She was imprisoned within the demon king's castle. And with freedom taken away from her, she had no choice but to dance like a puppet to the tune set by the whims of the demon king.
One day, a hero came to fight the demon king, seeking to save the princess. However, there was no way the hero could win against the demon king.
The hero did not know, you see, that he himself was a puppet created by the demon king.
Music:
Tutu in Drosselmeyer’s realm, Fakir wonders how to help: Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: Scheherezade: Mvt 4 “Festival in Bagdad - The Sea - Shipwreck - Conclusion”
Puppets welcome Tutu to their world and point out that the story has stopped without her: Delibes, Léo: Copelia: Act II, Scene 1 - "Music of the Automotons”
Tutu becomes a puppet, Fakir wonders what to write to help Tutu but finds the difficulty of writing at all to be terrible, the Monster Raven’s hunger and rage at Kraehe’s doubt, Kraehe flees: Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai: Scheherezade: Mvt 2 “The Story of the Kalender Prince”
Drosselmeyer forces Tutu to dance and explains that being someone else’s puppet is the best kind of freedom, Uzura lands at the bottom of Drosselmeyer’s realm and wonders if she isn’t really Uzura at all, Uzura starts turning the gears of the story herself: Delibes, Léo: Copelia: Act II, Scene 1 - “Waltz of the Puppets”
Mytho mocks Kraehe’s belief that her fate is tied to his, he explains that fate was set the moment she bathed his blood in the Monster Raven’s blood, Kraehe thinks about taking out Mytho’s heart with her knife and killing herself if he dies but finds that she can’t bring herself to do so, Aotoa harasses Fakir who is still trying to figure out how to help Tutu, Drosselmeyer looks over his handiwork: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker: Act I, No.2 - March
Tutu drinks Tutu with Drosselmeyer and he talks to her about his story: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker: Act I, No.2 - March
The story starts to move in reverse thanks to Uzura, Rue wishes to remember nothing as all she remembers is pain: Beethoven, Ludwig von: Egmont Overture
Rue sees herself as a young girl meeting Mytho for the first time, Mytho protects her by destroying the attacking ravens, Rue follows him and brings him water, she makes up the name Rue (from the end of Kraehe) to introduce herself: Borodin, Alexander (orch. unknown): String Quartet No.2 in D-Major Mvt 3 “Nocturne” (orchestral)
The story starts running in reverse around Fakir but he and Tutu resist together, Fakir hears Tutu’s voice and a story starts writing itself with Fakir’s hand thus stopping Uzura from turning the gears back any further, Edel appears and shows Uzura that they are different from one another, Edel tells Uzura to return to Ahiru, Fakir’s story releases Tutu and Uzura: Glinka, Mikhail: Russlan & Ludmilla: Overture
Rue’s story keeps running backwards, Rue sees that she isn’t the Monster Raven’s daughter, Mytho (fully transformed into a raven) appears before Rue: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: Romeo & Juliet Fantasy Overture
The subtitular music this time is Glinka's Ruslan und Ludmilla, based on Pushkin's epic poem. Note that Ludmilla was a daughter of Kiev, whose Great Gate we visited last episode.
There's also quite a bit of Scheherazade in this one, if you recognise the melodies from episode 12. It fittingly shows up in scenes with Fakir, writing and storytelling (the raven has so been feeding Kraehe/Rue a story. I can twist it to fit if I want to(!)).
Marionettes. They taunt Tutu, Tutu turns into one (and Copelia plays), Uzura meets Edel, and learns that she's more than a doll.
This is also the first time Fakir definitely breaks free from the story and writes his destiny - or rather, Duck/Tutu's.
And it's in high time, because Mytho is really, really creepy.
Rue's backstory. Who would win in an angst-off between her and Fakir? My money's on Rue, because at least Fakir had someone who loved him, while Rue had someone who emotionally abused her and told her it was love.
When she finds out the truth about her origin, her hair falls and her cloting changes, and she turns from Kraehe to Rue. She never becomes Kraehe again (as far as I remember).
Uzura in the tower. Again, this is after Drosselmeyer's "final" words. Is it a sign that the story is beginning to move out of his control?
Also, kind of funny: after Autor has spent a lot of time telling people to be quiet, this time Fakir tells him to be quiet.
That's it. Until next week, then.