Whimsical and light
The work takes place in a theatre during the 1890s. The opening scene is backstage where members of a ballet company, complete with ballet master, conductor and wardrobe personnel, are in the throes of last minute preparation for a Gala Performance with three very distinguished guests - La Reine de la Danse (from Moscow), La Déesse de la Danse (from Milan), and La Fille de Terpsichore (from Paris). Individually, the guest artists arrive and their hosts (and the audience!) instantly sum up their personalities. In the performance which follows, each guest appears and the Gala concludes on a high note as the "stars" attempt to steal the limelight from each other during their curtain calls.
