An evening of French dance courtesy of four prestigious companies.
This excellent idea of bringing together some of the best French dance companies in a single evening was born at the height of the Covid pandemic. The first event was held in the autumn of 2020 and hosted the Ballet National de Bordeaux, the ballet of the Opéra National de Lyon, the Ballet du Capitole de Toulouse, and the Malandain Ballet Biarritz. For this second edition, the TranscenDanses team has given carte blanche to the company from Bordeaux who are joined this time by the dancers of the Opéra National de Paris, the Opéra National du Rhin and also the Ballet Preljocaj, each presenting a solo or duet programme performed by dancers from their respective companies. A joyful upbeat and varied evening showcasing a wide variety of French talent.
SOFTLY, AS I LEAVE YOU (1994)
Sol Leon & Paul Loghtfoot | choreography and costumes (designed by Joke Visser)
Pärt, Bach | music
Yumiko Takeshima | costumes
Hélène Bernadou, Kylian Tilagone | dancers
Opéra National de Bordeaux Ballet | direction Eric Quilleré
GISELLE (act II, pas de deux)
Martin Chaix | choreography
Adolphe Adam | music
Martin Chaix, Ulrike Wörmer von faßmann | dramaturgy
Thomas Mika | sets
Catherine Voeffray | costumes
Tom Klefstad | lighting
Ana Enriquez & Avery Reiners / Di He & Rubén Julliard | dancers
CCN-Ballet Opéra National du Rhin | direction Bruno Bouché
EXTRAIT DE GRAVITE (2018)
Angelin Preljocaj | choreography
Chostakovitch (concerto for piano, trompett & orchestra) | music
Igor Chapurin | costumes
Eric Soyer | lighting
Ballet Preljocaj | direction Angelin Preljocaj
ON THE NATURE OF DAYLIGHT (DUO)
David Dawson | choreography, scenography and lighting
Max Richter | music
Yumiko Takeshima | costumes
Ana Enriquez & Avery Reiners / Di He & Rubén Julliard | dancers
CCN-Ballet Opéra National du Rhin | direction Bruno Bouché
WHO CARE?
George Balanchine | choreography
Gerschwin | music
Hershy Kay | adaptation and orchestration
Xavier Ronze | costumes
Mathieu Ganio, Dorothée Gilbert, Hannah O’Neill, Valentine Colasante | Etoiles of the Opéra national de Paris
Coproduction Productions Internationales Albert Sarfati | Théâtre des Champs-Elysées
Balanchine also created quite a few choreographies for Broadway that left a clear stamp on his work for the New York City Ballet. In Who Cares?, set to 16 songs by George Gershwin, he evokes the chic glamour, light-hearted humour and effervescent joie de vivre of old Broadway.
Who Cares? is a ballet made by New York City Ballet's co-founder and founding choreographer George Balanchine to songs by George Gershwin in an orchestration by Hershy Kay. The premiere took place on Saturday, February 7, 1970, at the New York State Theater, Lincoln Center with costumes by Barbara Karinska and lighting by Ronald Bates; it was at first performed without décor but from November 1970 with scenery by Jo Mielziner.
The conductor was Robert Irving and the pianist on opening night Gordon Boelzner; the orchestration had only been completed for two songs, "Strike Up the Band" and "I Got Rhythm". "Clap Yo' Hands" was performed to a recording made by George Gershwin; this sequence was, however, eliminated by Balanchine in 1976; new costumes were commissioned from Ben Benson by Balanchine before his death and have been used since 1983.
Balanchine and Gershwin's plans to collaborate were frustrated by the composer's untimely death in 1937. Thirty-three years later, Balanchine chose seventeen of Gershwin's from Broadway musical songs for this ballet; Mayor John V. Lindsay presented Balanchine with the Handel Medallion, New York City's highest cultural award, on opening night.
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