The tragedy of Macbeth is often seen as a testament to raw ambition but rarely is it seen solely through the eyes of the women. The ballet drama, Lady Macbeth, I recently saw at the National Opera and Ballet in Amsterdam, shifts the spotlight from the General to the Lady – telling the story through her eyes.
The lead, Olga Smirnova, is absolutely brilliant. Although I was perched high up in one of the nosebleed seats, and couldn’t really see her facial expressions, I was captivated throughout the performance. Each movement radiated fierce emotion, amplified by the extraordinary soundtrack, creating an unspoken dialogue.
One moment in particular stayed with me: the moment when she glides on to the stage to meet her husband after they learn he will not be the next king. The anger she feels – at being overlooked, dismissed – is thick and palpable.
But what has compelled me to write this is the timeliness of the angle taken – by the choreographer Helen Pickett and director James Bonas – to focus on how women lose our power and how we lean on one another. The progression of the acts as they’ve written and choreographed it mirrors the slow erosion of the space and autonomy generations of women have fought so hard to claim.
In Shakespeare’s time, women often had no other avenue but to express their ambitions through the men in their lives. Unfortunately, this dynamic still plays out in many parts of the world today.
If there was one thought that lingered after the curtain fell on this poignant performance, it was this: when women’s spaces—to be, to dream, to lead, and to access their own power—are curtailed, no one wins.
For more on the performance visit the website.