Spot the Reference, Akt 21

[ingvild.livejournal.com]

Are you guys tired of these yet? Only six more now, including this one. Now, this episode really could have been called "Exercises in foreshadowing", but it's not - it's called



Sutitle: Lieder ahne Warte

Introduction:
Once upon a time, there was a man who died.
All the stories the man spun came true, so the king, the nobility and the kingdom's rich went to him, to get him to write them stories.
But when their wishes were granted, they feared his power, and began to abhor him.
So when the man died, the people rejoiced that a source of misfortune had gone.
No one heard the sound of the dead man's scornful laughter.

Music:
Ahiru’s dream of a happy ending: Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker: Act II, No.12(e) – “Dance of the Mirlitons”
Ahiru thinks about toe-shoes and the difference between Ahiru and Tutu, Neko-sensei’s worry for Ahiru: Debussy, Claude: Préludes, Book 1: Girl With the Flaxen Hair
Aotoa practicing when Fakir finds him: Mendelssohn, Felix Bartholdy: Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 no.4 “Spinning Song”
Conclave of those who oppose Drosselmeyer’s story: Ippolitov-Ivanov, Michail: Caucasian Sketches, Op.10 Mvt 2 "In the Village”
Aotoa shows Drosselmeyer’s relics to Fakir: Prokofiev, Sergei: Romeo and Juliet: Act I, Scene 2 no. 13 – "The Knight's Dance”
Aotoa show’s Drosselmeyer’s descendents to Fakir: same: same: Act I, Scene 2 – "The Knight's Dance”
Mytho and Rue dance for the beginners’ class, Rue recoils from Mytho, Mytho enraged: Ravel, Maurice: Pavanne pour une enfante defunte (orchestral)
Aotoa talks about the Tree of Stories and the ritual: Dvořák, Antonin: Symphony No.9 “From the New World”: Mvt 2, Largo
Fakir becomes a tree himself, Tutu appears: Saint-Saëns, Camille: Carnival of the Animals: Finale
Fakir communes with the Tree, Tutu tries to recover Fakir, Fakir is brought back by Ahiru’s voice: Mendelssohn, Felix Bartholdy: (arranger unknown): Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38, no.3 (arr. for horn & piano)
Tutu cradles Fakir, Rue and Mytho in pain and alone, Mytho’s transformation begins: Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Rondo in a-minor, K.511

"The Knight's Dance" fits Fakir, but I feel I should point out that this movement is also known as Montagues and Capulets, which anyone with half a knowledge of Shakespeare knows are the warring families in Romeo and Juliet, and so the alternate title fits the fact that Fakir learns something about his family - or rather, ancestor - who he will have to fight eventually.

Right. Foreshadowing in this Akt.
- the intro: what happened to Drosselmeyer, the book-men.
- Duck's dream: Fakir wrote a story about Mytho, who overcame the raven's blood, Rue returned to being Rue, and Duck became a duck again.
- Duck wonders if she'll be in Fakir's story. (Oh honey, you are Fakir's story.)
- Duck sees a book-man.
- The tree talks like Edel, who we haven't seen since last season. "The beginning will end, the end begin." "To those who accent everything, happiness. To those who resist everything, glory."
- Fakir hears a clock, which turns out to be a heartbeat. Drosselmeyer brings Tutu to the clock where he lives, Duck meets Edel again through listening to Uzura's heartbeat.
- Fakir thinks he'll watch over everyone.
- Tutu's voice brings Fakir back (and he calls her "Duck"); later, Fakir's voice brings Tutu back.

Other stuff:
- Mr. Cat is surprisingly insightful - until he gets back to the marriage-business.
- We actually meet Autor for the first time - and he plays the title music for the episode. Hint that characters will shape the story?
- Autor says that "a swan feather is the best, but a duck feather is an acceptable substitute" (paraphrased).

Fakir is made to stand without food or drink for three days. Three is a magical number in fairy tales, and three days shows up other places as well: Jesus rose from the tomb after three days.

The Tale Spinner's Tree is an oak tree, and oaks have a lot of mythological significance - I particularly like the Celtic one, where oak doors were the portal between worlds, but also the bit about how one specific oak was sacred to a germanic tribe, and its destruction marked the end of paganism and beginning of Christianity.

Also, Fakir channels lightning, and oaks were sacred to the thunder god Thor.