在线英语听力室

VOA慢速英语-EXPLORATIONS - The Story of Cinderella Is Popular Ar

时间:2008-06-30 06:21:12

搜索关注在线英语听力室公众号:tingroom,领取免费英语资料大礼包。

(单词翻译)

Sergei Prokofiev’s ballet version of “Cinderella” is a favorite with choreographers and dance lovers. Transcript2 of radio broadcast:
03 June 2008

VOICE ONE:

I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:
 

The Washington Ballet’s Brianne Bland3 as Cinderella

And I’m Shirley Griffith with EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English. Today we explore the ballet version of one of the most popular stories ever told. Throughout history, in cultures around the world, the story of Cinderella has remained a favorite. We tell about the music Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev wrote for his version of “Cinderella.”

And, we visit the artistic4 director of the Washington Ballet as he and his dancers work together to perform this famous ballet.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

Her name may be Yeh-shen, Cendrillion or Aschenputtel. But her story is always about a caring young woman who overcomes her difficult family life with the support of a magical helper. This helper makes the dreams of Cinderella come true. And, by the end of the story Cinderella is repaid5 for her goodness when she marries the man she loves.

One of the earliest versions of the story comes from ninth century China. Yeh-shen talks to a magic fish, which makes her wishes come true. The Algonquin Native American version is about Rough-Face Girl, whose kindness and inner beauty win the love of an invisible warrior6 spirit.

VOICE TWO:

The seventeenth century French writer Charles Perrault included another version in his book, “Tales of Mother Goose.” His version is one of the most famous. Cinderella lives with her father's second wife and the woman's daughters.
 

Cinderella and her stepsisters, performed by Aaron Jackson and John Goding

Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters are unkind to her and make her do all the work in the house while they prepare for a party given by the ruling prince.

Cinderella’s fairy godmother gives her beautiful clothes to wear to the party. She magically turns a pumpkin7 and mice into a carriage pulled by horses so Cinderella can go to the party. But, the godmother warns Cinderella that she must return home by midnight, when all of her magical belongings8 will turn back into their normal forms. After the party, Cinderella hurries home but leaves her shoe behind. This glass slipper9 helps the prince search for and find Cinderella so that they can marry and live together happily ever after.

VOICE ONE:

The story of Cinderella has influenced many creators of books, movies, songs, and dances. One of these was Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev. In nineteen forty, he began working on a new musical version of the ballet. But he did not finish the ballet until nineteen forty-four because he took time to write his opera “War and Peace.” During these years, Europe was torn apart by World War Two. Some of this tension can be heard in the music Prokofiev wrote for "Cinderella." Some of the music is very light and beautiful, but at other times it is quite dark and tense.

VOICE TWO:
 

Sergei Prokofiev

Prokofiev’s “Cinderella” was first performed at the Bolshoi Ballet in Moscow in nineteen forty-five. Prokofiev’s musical score does not say exactly what must happen in the story. But it does make musical suggestions. For example, in an early scene, the stepsisters receive much needed dancing lessons before the party.

(MUSIC)

While the scene where Cinderella and the prince dance together is a gentle musical expression of love.

(MUSIC)

There is also a clear moment in the score when Cinderella realizes it is time for her to return home from the party.

(MUSIC)

And, Prokofiev also created musical moments for dances influenced by other cultures. For example, when the prince searches for Cinderella, he travels to a land influenced by Spanish music.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

The music permits choreographers to use their imaginations to create dances for new versions of the story. For example, in the nineteen eighties, French choreographer1 Maguy Marin created a “Cinderella” for the Lyons Opera Ballet. In it, the characters are all toys living in a doll house. The dancers wear face coverings and padding to look like dolls. For the party scene, they come together to play children’s games like jumping rope.

In nineteen eighty-six, Russian dancer Rudolf Nureyev’s "Cinderella" was performed at the Paris Opera Ballet in France. This story was set in the nineteen thirties. Cinderella dreams of becoming an actress. Her magical supporter is a movie producer who introduces Cinderella to her prince, a famous actor.

In the nineteen nineties, choreographer Matthew Bourne set his “Cinderella” during the bomb attacks that hit London, England during World War Two. The prince character is a pilot who meets Cinderella when he is wounded and stays for a short time in her family’s home. After he meets Cinderella, he must search for her in the war-torn city streets.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Last month, the Washington Ballet performed “Cinderella” at the Warner Theater in Washington, D.C. We wanted to understand how a choreographer creates the dance steps for such a large production. So we talked to Septime Webre, the artistic director of the Washington Ballet. We asked him why he chose to perform this ballet this year. The Washington Ballet last performed Cinderella in two thousand three.

(MUSIC)

SEPTIME WEBRE: "Prokofiev’s score is one of the great scores written for ballet, and one of the two probably most important ballet scores written in the twentieth century along with Prokofiev’s "Romeo and Juliet." I set the repertoire11, and so I wanted every season there to be a narrative12 arc10, a kind of journey for the audience, from beginning to end. Ending the season with a kind of celebration of our humanity13 and a really romantic love story seemed appropriate."

You might be wondering how Mister Webre invents the many dances in the ballet.

(MUSIC)

SEPTIME WEBRE: "I have a process that has developed over the years. For every hour in the rehearsal14 room, I have to prepare for about an hour or more. I start with the score, I have it on a CD player, sitting at my dining room table at night drinking cold Mexican beer, and I notate the score in my own notation15 I have derived16 in an old composition book. I imagine and map out each dance.

"Then the next day I go into the studio with the dancers. I will essentially17 start making the work on the dancers. But with the dancers some of what I thought would work the night before doesn’t quite work and we come up together with something that is more interesting."

Many of the dancers have been working with Septime Webre since he began with the Washington Ballet nine seasons ago.

(MUSIC)

We’ve developed together kind of a lingua franca, a shared vocabulary. They understand how I construct steps and I give them a lot of leeway and sometimes actually give them very little instructions and they fill in the blanks.

VOICE ONE:

Watching Septime Webre work with his dancers is an exciting creative process. First he explains the dance steps. His assistant carefully writes them down so that they can be taught to the Pittsburgh Ballet in Pennsylvania where this production will next be performed.

(SOUND)

Mister Webre shows the dancers the outline of the dance. They immediately are able to turn his written notes into a lovely set of movements. He and the dancers had only four weeks to prepare for this ballet. But you would never know this when you saw the final production.

The Washington Ballet performance of "Cinderella" had both historical and magical qualities. Mister Webre’s love of history and design showed clearly in this production. Part of the first act took place in a striking18 forest of thin white trees. The second act was in a beautiful room influenced by the Hall of Mirrors at the palace of Versailles in France. And the costumes worn by the dancers were influenced by clothing worn in eighteenth century France.

VOICE TWO:

But the most important part of the ballet was its expressive19 dancers. The Cinderella danced by Brianne Bland was not only lovely in her careful movements. She was also emotionally believable as an actress. The stepsisters were played by men. Their funny actions and expressions made the audience laugh. There were other funny moments. Septime Webre had young students from the Washington School of Ballet dance the part of bumblebee insects. They wiggled their bodies back and forth20 before being lifted off the stage by the adult dancers. And the skillful Jester danced by Jonathan Jordan lit up the stage with his strength and power.

The moment when Cinderella and the prince reunited at the end of the story was one of the most expressive moments in the ballet. When they walk off stage arm in arm, every member of the audience could share in their pleasure of living together happily ever after.

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This program was written and produced by Dana Demange. I’m Steve Ember.

VOICE TWO:

And I’m Shirley Griffith. To see pictures of the Washington Ballet dancers, visit our Web site, voaspecialenglish.com. Join us again next week for EXPLORATIONS in VOA Special English.


分享到:


点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 choreographer LVvyn     
n.编舞者
参考例句:
  • She is a leading professional belly dancer, choreographer, and teacher. 她既是杰出的专业肚皮舞演员,也是舞蹈设计者和老师。 来自辞典例句
  • It'stands aside, my choreographer of grace, and blesses each finger and toe. 它站在一旁,我优雅的舞蹈指导,并祝福每个指尖与脚尖。 来自互联网
2 transcript JgpzUp     
n.抄本,誊本,副本,肄业证书
参考例句:
  • A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
  • They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。
3 bland dW1zi     
adj.淡而无味的,温和的,无刺激性的
参考例句:
  • He eats bland food because of his stomach trouble.他因胃病而吃清淡的食物。
  • This soup is too bland for me.这汤我喝起来偏淡。
4 artistic IeWyG     
adj.艺术(家)的,美术(家)的;善于艺术创作的
参考例句:
  • The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
  • These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。
5 repaid bee1dc3008a70a5156a1f3b5b63b298d     
v. 偿还, 报答 vbl. 偿还, 报答
参考例句:
  • The business quickly repaid the initial outlay on advertising. 这家公司很快偿付了初期的广告费。
  • She doesn't intend to be repaid to her kindness. 她不图回报她的好心。
6 warrior YgPww     
n.勇士,武士,斗士
参考例句:
  • The young man is a bold warrior.这个年轻人是个很英勇的武士。
  • A true warrior values glory and honor above life.一个真正的勇士珍视荣誉胜过生命。
7 pumpkin NtKy8     
n.南瓜
参考例句:
  • They ate turkey and pumpkin pie.他们吃了火鸡和南瓜馅饼。
  • It looks like there is a person looking out of the pumpkin!看起来就像南瓜里有人在看着你!
8 belongings oy6zMv     
n.私人物品,私人财物
参考例句:
  • I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
  • Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。
9 slipper px9w0     
n.拖鞋
参考例句:
  • I rescued the remains of my slipper from the dog.我从那狗的口中夺回了我拖鞋的残留部分。
  • The puppy chewed a hole in the slipper.小狗在拖鞋上啃了一个洞。
10 arc FvFzj     
n.弧形(物),弧,电弧,弧光
参考例句:
  • The sun appears to move in an arc across the sky.太阳看起来在天空中以弧形运行。
  • The rainbow described an arc in the dark sky.彩虹在昏暗的天空划出了一道圆弧。
11 repertoire 2BCze     
n.(准备好演出的)节目,保留剧目;(计算机的)指令表,指令系统, <美>(某个人的)全部技能;清单,指令表
参考例句:
  • There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
  • He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。
12 narrative CFmxS     
n.叙述,故事;adj.叙事的,故事体的
参考例句:
  • He was a writer of great narrative power.他是一位颇有记述能力的作家。
  • Neither author was very strong on narrative.两个作者都不是很善于讲故事。
13 humanity Nc4xR     
n.人类,[总称]人(性),人道[pl.]人文学科
参考例句:
  • Such an act is a disgrace to humanity.这种行为是人类的耻辱。
  • We should treat animals with humanity.我们应该以仁慈之心对待动物。
14 rehearsal AVaxu     
n.排练,排演;练习
参考例句:
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
  • You can sharpen your skills with rehearsal.排练可以让技巧更加纯熟。
15 notation lv1yi     
n.记号法,表示法,注释;[计算机]记法
参考例句:
  • Music has a special system of notation.音乐有一套特殊的标记法。
  • We shall find it convenient to adopt the following notation.采用下面的记号是方便的。
16 derived 6cddb7353e699051a384686b6b3ff1e2     
vi.起源;由来;衍生;导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 );(从…中)得到获得;源于;(从…中)提取
参考例句:
  • Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》
17 essentially nntxw     
adv.本质上,实质上,基本上
参考例句:
  • Really great men are essentially modest.真正的伟人大都很谦虚。
  • She is an essentially selfish person.她本质上是个自私自利的人。
18 striking PhbzAL     
adj.显著的,惹人注目的,容貌出众的
参考例句:
  • There is a striking difference between Jane and Mary.简和玛丽之间有显著的差异。
  • What is immediately striking is how resourceful the children are.最令人注目的是孩子们的机智聪明。
19 expressive shwz4     
adj.表现的,表达…的,富于表情的
参考例句:
  • Black English can be more expressive than standard English.黑人所使用的英语可能比正式英语更有表现力。
  • He had a mobile,expressive,animated face.他有一张多变的,富于表情的,生动活泼的脸。
20 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

本文本内容来源于互联网抓取和网友提交,仅供参考,部分栏目没有内容,如果您有更合适的内容,欢迎 点击提交 分享给大家。