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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Wednesday, September 15, 2021
Hurst Hot Takes: Red (Taylor’s Version) brings back favorites By Mackenzie Zent Contributing writer
For many, Taylor Swift’s era of country heartbreak songs and red lipstick may seem worlds away; but on Nov. 19 of this year, the star will be re-releasing her Red album. While it is labeled as country, there is something for everyone on the album. “Red (Taylor’s Version),” will have a total of 30 songs, as opposed to the original 22 (including the bonus tracks). Nine of the new songs are “from the vault,” which means they were not on the original album but were initially written to be released at the same time. Some of these vault tracks will feature different artists, such as Phoebe Bridgers and Chris Stapleton. The song “Ronan,” which was only ever released as a single, will be included on the album, along with a ten minute version of “All Too Well.” Fans are very excited to experience these songs for the first time again and learn the lyrics to some brand new ones. Most people don’t know why Taylor Swift is rerecording her albums, so here’s the breakdown. Shockingly, Swift doesn’t own five out of her nine studio albums. The artist signed a 13-year contract to Big Machine Records in 2005 when she was only 15 years
Contributed photo
The track list for the upcoming album “Red (Taylor’s Version)” by award-winning artist Taylor Swift.
old. By doing this, she agreed to give up the master copies of her albums; however, she was never given the chance to buy them back. This resulted in her plan to rerecord her first six albums after her contract ended in 2018 so she could finally own the albums she devoted her whole life to creating. On Apr. 9 of this year, Swift
released “Fearless (Taylor’s Version),” and it debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Chart. Many fans expect “Red (Taylor’s Version)” to do just as well. I predict that it will do even better than “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” because Red was more popular than Fearless was when the albums were originally released. Swift and her team did a great
job of picking a release date because Red is a perfect album for fall. Originally released in October of 2012, the heartbreak anthems give off a cold, fall feel with a lot of autumn imagery included in the lyrics, as well. Even the colors of the leaves on the trees outside will be burning “red.”
For a lot of people, the release of “Red (Taylor’s Version)” will be filled with nostalgia. Many of us remember singing the words to “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “22” as kids with our friends and taking fall walks while listening to the rest of the album. A lot of fans remember buying tickets and going to the Red tour, and I’m sure so many of those happy memories are going to come flooding back. I am really looking forward to hearing “State of Grace” and “Holy Ground” especially because those are two of my all-time favorite Taylor Swift songs. “All Too Well” is also a fan favorite, and I can’t wait to listen to the ten-minute version of it. “Red” was originally released almost ten years ago, and it’s going to be really cool to hear how Swift’s voice has changed and improved since then. When “Fearless (Taylor’s Version)” was released, I really enjoyed listening for the subtle differences between the two albums, and I’m impatiently waiting to see what she has in store for “Red (Taylor’s Version).” To say I’m excited is an understatement. Get ready to feel happy, free, confused and lonely in the best way as we watch it all begin again on Nov. 19.
MU updates Tchaikovsky classic By Abigail Eyler
Contributing writer
The Mercyhurst Dance Department is set to perform the Tchaikovsky ballet “Swan Lake” with performances Nov. 12 - 14 and Nov. 19 - 21. “Swan Lake,” one of the most famous ballets, is set to music composed in 1876 by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. The ballet premiered in 1877 at the Bolshoi Theatre. It was originally choreographed by Julius Reisinger and performed by the Bolshoi Ballet Company. Initially inspired by Russian and German folklore, Odette, a princess, is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. The Mercyhurst Civic Orchestra, conducted by Professor Jonathan Moser, will perform the musical score for the ballet. All new costumes will be custom-made for the show by Claudia Katherine. Roles of the ballet include: Odette, also known as The Swan
Queen, The Swan Princess, the princess who was transformed into a swan; Prince Siegfried, the handsome prince who falls in love with Odette; Baron von Rothbart, the evil sorcerer who has enchanted Odette; Odile, Rothbart’s daughter; Benno von Sommerstern, also known as just Benno, the prince’s friend; The Queen, the prince’s mother; Wolfgang, Prince Siegfried’s tutor; Leading Swans; and Cygnets. According to Professor Jennifer McNamara MFA, Assistant Professor of Dance, the presentation of the ballet will highlight the idea of gender, particularly how masculinity and femininity are presented in dance. McNamara said, “The swans’ choreography, with the lush port de bras, is often seen as the ultimate representation of feminine movement ideals in dance.” The casting choices are going to reflect this conversation and how movement should not be seen as inherently feminine or masculine, embracing modern ideas of gender.
Another important element of the production is the controversial ending and troubling expression of traditional gender roles. Traditionally, Odette and Siegfried jump into the lake to live together for an eternity.
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We’re making some shifts to these parts of the story... and being cognizant of power dynamics between characters of the opposite, as well as the same gender presentations.”
McNamara, as Assistant Professor of Dance
However, McNamara said, “We’re making some shifts to these parts of the story, drawing on the Irish folktale, The Children of the Lir and being cognizant of power dynamics between characters of the opposite, as well as the same, gender presentations.” This combination of stories will change the choreography and staging, but it will still be cohesive to the main plot. Additionally, SafeNet, an organization whose focus is the support of domestic violence victims, will benefit from the event’s fundraising. The roles of Odette, Odile and von Rothbart will be danced by students along with all the soloist and corps de ballet roles. Siegfried will be performed by a guest artist. Some of the extras are still being actively casted for male students and faculty, so be sure to contact Professor McNamara if interested. Other important things to note is the change in language used to describe certain roles. First, the role of Odile is often
referred to as the “Black Swan” and Odette is referred to as the “White Swan”. While the intention of the color of the two swans is to differentiate from good and evil, the binary understanding of color and disposition can be understood inappropriately. These characters’ names will be altered to create more inclusive and respectful roles. Also, the roles of “Big Swans” and “Little Swans” will be renamed as “Leading Swans” and “Cygnets”. While some small changes have been made to promote diversity in the classic work, it is still the timeless piece inspired by the original Tchaikovsky score. The show is sure to excite with its fabulous choreography, custom costumes and beautiful music. Make sure to reserve your free student ticket today and support your fellow Mercyhurst students as they perform their hearts out on stage.
