O Mmm... I Do
-
Artist:
-
Album:Le Sacre du Printemps
-
Track:Le Sacre du Printemps, Part 1, L' Adoration de la Terre, Introduction
What other words exude as much grace and sensuousness as ballerina. (I would like you to bear that in mind before reading what follows.)
Poster for Michael Clark's Stravinsky Project, Dancer: Melissa Hetherington, Photographer: Jake Walters
Last Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the last performance of Michael Clark's triptych set on Stravinsky's music.
Before you call me a snobbish pedant, I'd like to confess my very limited knowledge in ballet either classic or modern. So bear with me while I stutter about hops, tilts, or horizontality and verticality.
Perhaps should I brush a quick description of the Barbican Centre. Situated in the City of London, it's a multi-storey building making creative use of concrete, inside more than outside. Some have decried its "mutliplex" concept with no less than five venues in one (a concert hall, a main theatre, a smaller multi-purpose theatre, an art gallery - more about the latter later.) And you will certainly lean towards their view if you see the bars in the main hall. Still, these make the wait go faster (and for some gentlemen who were there for their ladies, their booze numb the senses just enough to go through the "serious arts")
The Stravinsky Project presented Michael Clark's choreography set to three different scores by you know who.
O is set to Apollo (originally Apollon Musagète i.e. Apollo who leads the muses). Right from the curtain rise, the non-specialist is struck by the flat position of the dancer, lying on the stage all dressed in black. The transition for horizontal to vertical is the perfect illustration of the grace of Terpsichore. Apollo himself arises in a mirrored box, in his explicit splendour.
Mmm... is set to The Rite of Spring (or Le Sacre du Printemps). It's a tale of pagan sacrifice. "The wise elders are seated in a circle and are observing the dance before the death of the girl whom they are offering as a sacrifice to the god of Spring in order to gain his benevolence," said Stravinsky. The choreography reflects the ebullience of the score with spunky hops and swirls (and other figures which I can't arsed to look up.) Oddly enough there were no elders but dancing lavatories - at one point all eyes were drawn to those lavatory costumes and the dancer's head (Michael Clark himself) floating up and down the bowl - hypnotic. This is also the set which contains nudity (Melissa Hetherington performing a topless solo in a final climax.)
I Do is set to Les Noces which literally opens like a Russian doll revealing a dancer wearing a white knitted had inspired by a 1960s Saint-Laurent's bride gown. Here the whole MichaelClark Company takes hold of the stage with bounces, hops. A true declaration of verticality. The pulse and rhythm given by Britten Sinfonia and the New London Chamber Choir conducted by Jurjen Hempel.
The Rite of Spring was played in its version for two pianos which unfortunately is unavailable to offer to you. In its stead, I'll have you listen to a collage of Le Sacre du Printemps, Part 1, L' Adoration de la Terre, Introduction and Les augures printaniers (Danses des adolescentes) as captured on Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Igor Stravinsky - Le Sacre de Printemps, Apollo, 1977
PS: The Art Gallery at the Barbican Centre is presenting an exhibition entitled "Seduced: Art and Sex from Antiquity to Now" until 27th January 2008 (Over 18s only)
Those who like me found reading this rather tedious can skip to the comments which contain nudity.
[edit] - Grazie mille Ale for this wonderful night at the ballet -
Poster for Michael Clark's Stravinsky Project, Dancer: Melissa Hetherington, Photographer: Jake WaltersLast Saturday, I had the privilege of attending the last performance of Michael Clark's triptych set on Stravinsky's music.
Before you call me a snobbish pedant, I'd like to confess my very limited knowledge in ballet either classic or modern. So bear with me while I stutter about hops, tilts, or horizontality and verticality.
Perhaps should I brush a quick description of the Barbican Centre. Situated in the City of London, it's a multi-storey building making creative use of concrete, inside more than outside. Some have decried its "mutliplex" concept with no less than five venues in one (a concert hall, a main theatre, a smaller multi-purpose theatre, an art gallery - more about the latter later.) And you will certainly lean towards their view if you see the bars in the main hall. Still, these make the wait go faster (and for some gentlemen who were there for their ladies, their booze numb the senses just enough to go through the "serious arts")
The Stravinsky Project presented Michael Clark's choreography set to three different scores by you know who.
O is set to Apollo (originally Apollon Musagète i.e. Apollo who leads the muses). Right from the curtain rise, the non-specialist is struck by the flat position of the dancer, lying on the stage all dressed in black. The transition for horizontal to vertical is the perfect illustration of the grace of Terpsichore. Apollo himself arises in a mirrored box, in his explicit splendour.
Mmm... is set to The Rite of Spring (or Le Sacre du Printemps). It's a tale of pagan sacrifice. "The wise elders are seated in a circle and are observing the dance before the death of the girl whom they are offering as a sacrifice to the god of Spring in order to gain his benevolence," said Stravinsky. The choreography reflects the ebullience of the score with spunky hops and swirls (and other figures which I can't arsed to look up.) Oddly enough there were no elders but dancing lavatories - at one point all eyes were drawn to those lavatory costumes and the dancer's head (Michael Clark himself) floating up and down the bowl - hypnotic. This is also the set which contains nudity (Melissa Hetherington performing a topless solo in a final climax.)
I Do is set to Les Noces which literally opens like a Russian doll revealing a dancer wearing a white knitted had inspired by a 1960s Saint-Laurent's bride gown. Here the whole MichaelClark Company takes hold of the stage with bounces, hops. A true declaration of verticality. The pulse and rhythm given by Britten Sinfonia and the New London Chamber Choir conducted by Jurjen Hempel.
The Rite of Spring was played in its version for two pianos which unfortunately is unavailable to offer to you. In its stead, I'll have you listen to a collage of Le Sacre du Printemps, Part 1, L' Adoration de la Terre, Introduction and Les augures printaniers (Danses des adolescentes) as captured on Herbert von Karajan with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra - Igor Stravinsky - Le Sacre de Printemps, Apollo, 1977
PS: The Art Gallery at the Barbican Centre is presenting an exhibition entitled "Seduced: Art and Sex from Antiquity to Now" until 27th January 2008 (Over 18s only)
Those who like me found reading this rather tedious can skip to the comments which contain nudity.
[edit] - Grazie mille Ale for this wonderful night at the ballet -
Comments (10)