Credit: Luxembourg Ballet
Luxembourg Ballet has announced that it is premiering The Beauty and the Beast at CUBE 521 in Marnach on Saturday 22 February at 20:00 and on Sunday 23 February 2025 at 17:00.
Synopsis: Experience the timeless magic of a fairy tale crafted by Madame de Villeneuve in an era when personal desires defined the very heartbeat of life. It tells the story of a narcissistic prince who spurned the love of a fairy and was punished by being transformed into a hideous beast. His fate is bound to a fragile flower that, petal by petal, draws the curse closer to its end. But only true love can redeem him.
This flower becomes a symbol of our time. With every petal that gently falls to the ground, the "enchantment" of our society advances - a process fuelled, as the American cultural anthropologist Clifford Geertz observes, by technological progress. In a world that becomes ever more rational and explainable, belief in the mystical and the sacred fades. Yet this enchantment leaves behind an emptiness. Where faith wanes, a new longing blooms. And so the fairy tale returns, as powerful as ever, to remind us: magic still exists if we dare to see it.
But today, it is no longer fairies or enchanted castles that captivate us. The new idols of our time are influencers and digital figures, whose shimmering contours shine brightly across social networks. These "new beasts" gaze only at their reflections, mesmerised by glamour and superficiality, unable to see, hear or feel. Yet, just as the last petal has not yet fallen, there is still hope for us. The chance to break the curse remains - if we have the courage to seek the truth.
With "distinguished guests" from the world stage, the Luxembourg Ballet is inviting audiences "on a journey between light and shadow, between beauty and the beast".
Volha Kastsel, artistic director of Luxembourg Ballet, is in charge of choreography, direction and dramaturgy, with set design and costumes by Dasha Abibok. The show features Ukrainian dancers Alexis Tutunnique and Iryna Zhalovska, as well as the first soloists of the Georgian National Opera, Daler Zaparov and Tamta Jashiashvili.
Tickets cost: €26 (full price adult ticket); €21 with a Cube Card; €12 for under-26s; €1.50 with a Kulturpass. For further details and tickets, see https://luxembourgballet.lu/beauty-and-beast
