The Norwegian National Ballet and the Bavarian National Ballet at the Dhiaghilev Festival in St
. Petersburg.

St. PETERSBURG: Two renowned European companies, the Bavarian State Ballet and the Norwegian National Ballet, will be performing in the Diaghilev P.S. Festival at the Mikhailovsky Theatre. 

Presentation by Tomas Bagackas,

fotos Erik Berg and Henning Høholt (the portrait of Jiří Kylián)

http://www.mikhailovsky.ru/en/afisha/performances/detail/448656/

Both companies have included in their programmes works by Jiří Kylián, the eminent choreographer who in many respects has defined contemporary dance.

The Bavarian company will perform Gods and Dogs on 25 November and on 27 and 28 November, the artists from Norway will present two of the great choreographer’s other ballets: Wings of Wax and Soldatenmis
.

 

The Norwegian National Ballet will present their interpretation of Kylián’s works, with a programme including Soldatenmis, to music by Bohuslav Martinů, his wonderful choire piece, dedicated to the battalion of young Czech soldiers who died in France during the First World War; and Wings of Wax, to the music of John Cage, Philip Glass, Johann Sebastian Bach, and Heinrich von Biber.

These two performances will give the audience a chance to appreciate the unique lexicon and subtle expression of the greatest choreographer of our time from a new perspective.

The Norwegian artists will also include the one-act ballet Suite by fellow Norwegian Jo Strømgren in their programme. Strømgren represents a new generation of choreographers who combine elements of movement, theatrical playfulness, and even comedy in their pieces. In Suite, however, the emphasis is very much on dance

.

The Norwegian National is dancing the 27. and 28. November the following programme:

Wings of Wax

Choreography: Jiří Kylián
Music: John Cage, Philip Glass, Johann Sebastian Bach, Heinrich von Biber
Sets and light: Michael Simon
Light adaption: Kees Tjebbes
Costumes: Joke Visser

Suite

Choreography: Jo Strømgren

Music: Jean Philippe Rameau
Light: Paul Vidar Ramon Sævarang
Costumes: Bregje van Balen

Soldiers’ Mass 

Choreography, sets and costumes: Jiří Kylián
Music: Bohuslav Martinů
Light: Joop Caboort (concept) and Kees Tjebbes (redesign)

 

 

Gods and Dogs is set to the music of Beethoven’s String Quartet in F minor, fantastically combined with the avant-garde sounds of Dirk Haubrich. The ballet has no plot; it consists of four expressive duets exploring the boundary between conventional ’normal’ behaviour and insanity. „Surely no positive developments can ever be accomplished without the help of a healthy portion of madness“, said Jiří Kylián, explaining his concept in an interview.

Gods and Dogs will be staged on the same evening as Nacho Duato’s Invisible and Na Floresta, performed by the artists of the Mikhailovsky Theatre. It was at the theatre in The Hague where Kylián was artistic director that Duato’s first choreographic work was staged. The audience will be able to observe the similarities and differences in the work of these two masters of contemporary choreography
.

 

 

 

Please enjoy our reviews from the Bavarian National Ballet during the Münchener Festival in July 2013 at:

http://www.kulturkompasset.com/2013/08/exits-and-entrances-in-munich/

http://www.kulturkompasset.com/2013/07/amusing-and-well-danced-la-fille-mal-gardee-in-munich/

And from our presentation of The Norwegian National Ballett with Gods and Dogs in Oslo.

http://www.kulturkompasset.com/2013/04/jiri-kylian-og-nasjonalballetten-12-april-premiere/

Please be inspired from our review from another ballett company, Nederlands Dance Theatre, who in october 2011 presented a ballett with music by Dirk Haubrich but then based on Mozart: 

http://www.kulturkompasset.com/2011/10/inspiring-and-refreshing-nederlands-dans-theater-2/

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www.diaghilev-ps.ru

http://www.mikhailovsky.ru/en/ og her http://www.diaghilev-ps.ru/english.html

It is remarkable that the Norwegian National Ballet is being more international visibel. Now visiting St. Petersburg and next autumn Paris, where they in the autumn 2014 at Theatre des Champs Elysées shall present a Kylian program.

Theatre des Champs Elysées, as known, is one of the Paris houses where Sergei Dhiaghilev first presented Les Ballets Russes app. 100 years ago. In the theatre are still original set pictures present, and this outstanding theatre in Paris are now the host of The New Ballets Russes, with performances every year.