Photo: Andrea Mohin via The New York Times
Last week, Paul McCartney debuted his first ballet—in conjunction with the New York City Ballet Company—titled Ocean’s Kingdom.
Written and composed by Sir Paul, Ocean’s Kingdom is a love story in the vein of Romeo and Juliet. Prince Stone and his older brother, King Terra, travel to an underwater kingdom to invite King Ocean and his beautiful daughter, Princess Honorata, to a ball on land. The King wants Honorata for himself, of course, but at the ball, Honorata falls madly in love with Prince Stone. (Why of course she did—a hot, younger Prince? The King should have known better...) Well, needless to say their love starts a war between the Ocean Kingdom and the Terra Kingdom. Jealously and maliciousness come in the form of Honorata’s lady-in-waiting named Scala, who’s actually an evil witch, or at least has magical powers in which she uses to tear the young couple apart. (Why she wants to do this is never really explained.) Scala, however, has a change of heart and eventually aids in the couple’s escape from King Terra. Like most fairytales, the prince and princess live happily ever after, and their love brings peace to their kingdoms. Basically, there’s nothing really new offered here, but there is some measure of delight in a classic, simple tale. Choreographer, Peter Martins, supplied the moves, and Paul’s daughter, Stella McCartney, created the costumes.
Photo: Paul Kolnik via ArtsJournal
Photo: Paul Kolnik via ArtsJournal
Photo: Paul Kolnik via ArtsJournal
Sketches by Stella McCartney for Ocean's Kingdom via Refinery 29
When I heard about this ballet I had super high hopes—Stella McCartney on costumes! Paul McCartney on music! Two kinds of awesome—but then the pics started rolling in, and the reviews, (which haven’t been kind) and, well, the whole thing doesn’t look as amazing as it did in my head. Still, I’m all for new underwater tales, and Paul’s music is quite good, atmospheric and lush. Perhaps with time this ballet will live up to it’s potential.
