Princess Tutu: 3.AKT Analysis

The Princess's Vow

The German subtitle now points us to “Panorama”, from Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s composition for Sleeping Beauty. There’s actually only one scene which makes use of Sleeping Beauty‘s music. The rest is an assortment of pieces mostly from other composers heard in the first two AKTs.

Introduction (Princess Tutu)

Following since 1.AKT, the prologue uses Kaoru Wada’s “Introduction”.

Miniature Overture (The Nutcracker)

By now, when you hear the “Miniature Overture”, you know it’s a Duck scene, and when there’s a Duck scene, you can be certain the “Miniature Overture” will play. Well, except for all of Duck’s scenes where something else plays, but Tchaikovsky’s “Miniature Overture” is by now established as her own theme music. As her theme music, this is what plays as Duck practices ballet moves while trying to balance a stack of two books on her head.

Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy (The Nutcracker)

As Duck tells Lilie and Pique about her dream, her words are about the prince, and the accompanying music follows the prince’s quickly established theme: “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy”, another piece by Peter Tchaikovsky.

Aquarium (The Carnival of the Animals)

After hearing Duck go on about her dream, Pique and Lilie point out the story’s origin to the tune of Charles Camille Saint-Saëns’s “Aquarium”, the seventh piece of his suite, The Carnival of the Animals. This piece follows through Duck’s recalling Drossylmeyer’s words, and her watching Rue meet up with Mytho.

Musique des Automates (Coppélia)

The “Musique des Automates” brings with it Miss Edel. Or is it Miss Edel who brings with her Leo Delibes’s piece from Coppélia, the ballet about a doll come to life? This is Miss Edel’s theme music.

Arabesque

Robert Alexander Schumann’s “Arabesque” relaxing arabesque piece provides a musical backdrop as Rue and Mytho converse while sitting under a tree.

Miniature Overture (The Nutcracker)

With a scene showing Duck literally running in circles over how happy she’d be if Mytho said to her what he says to Rue, Duck’s theme music as originally intended doesn’t quite fit. This isn’t a problem, nor is it the first time it’s happened. An arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s “Miniature Overture” played when Duck, in 1.AKT, pondered on Senior Mytho. Another arrangement of the piece plays here, allowing her theme to fit the scene perfectly.

The piece returns immediately as as Duck has a conversation with Mytho, and continues as she pours water on Mytho’s wound, leaving her to find water to refill the bottle with.

Habanera (Carmen)

The piece “Habanera” is an aria from Georges Bizet’s opera, Carmen. Ebine’s extreme hospitality goes well with this aria, which follows through as Ebine convinces Duck and Mytho to stay for a meal.

March (The Nutcracker)

By now you should know the drill. Peter Tchaikovsky’s “March” is Drossylmeyer’s theme music, and plays during the eye catch scene.

Polovetsian Dances (Prince Igor)

Prince Igor is an opera by Alexander Borodin. While this opera and its composer may be unknown by most, the “Polovetsian Dances”, heard here as Ebine provides meal after meal for the concerned Duck and unconcerned Mytho, may be familiar due to its popularity.

Miniature Overture (The Nutcracker)

Another arrangement for Tchaikovsky’s “Miniature Overture” plays for Duck as she overhears what sounds like a scene out of Hansel and Gretel as Ebine prepares more free food for her two guests, and inquires to herself who’ll taste better; it continues through Duck’s telling of the story to Mytho, and her finding the recipe box.

Panorama (Sleeping Beauty)

Drossylmeyer releases Princess Tutu to the opening of the subtitular piece, “Panorama”, from Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty. The music continues as Princess Tutu confronts Ebine, and Mytho’s heart shard.

Be sure to catch Tutu’s movements, miming the words she speaks to Ebine as she seeks to learn which of Mytho’s pure emotions has taken place in Ebine’s heart.

Aquarium (The Carnival of the Animals)

Saint-Saëns’s “Aquarium” makes a return appearance as Fakir and Rue speak with Mytho. This piece played earlier when Duck spoke of her dream to her friends in the ballet hall, pulling the story as a story together.

The Death of Hilarion (Giselle)

The ballet Giselle, by Adolphe Adam, prepares us for the next episode with a piece from act II, “La mort d’Hilarion”, or “The Death of Hilarion”.