Details

A rare opportunity to see some of the greatest dancers in the world today, Danses Concertantes is an intimate programme set to live chamber music from principals and soloists of New York City Ballet. The programme exemplifies the Balanchine legacy that stresses the close relationship between dance and music and includes Balanchine's own collaboration with Stravinsky's Duo Concertant - celebrating its 30th anniversary this year - which has the dancers joined on stage by the musicians; they dance, mirroring the music and each other and at times stop to listen to the music. The programme also includes a newly commissioned piece by Benjamin Millepied, and the acclaimed Polyphonia by British-born choreographer Christopher Wheeldon, the most recent inheritor of the Balanchine tradition. Set to music by Ligeti, this was a huge hit at the 2001 Edinburgh Festival. A fourth piece is yet to be announced. The programme features Balanchines Variations pour une Porte et un Soupir, a visually striking and theatrical work which has previously only ever been performed by New York City Ballet; a world premiere by Millepied, set to New York composer Daniel Ott newly commissioned score; and the UK premiere of Wheeldon s poignant and powerful duet Liturgy, with music by Arvo P?rt. The finale, another UK premiere, is Peter Martin's Hallelujah Junction, a fast-paced, jazzy piece featuring explosive leaps and lightening-speed partnering, to music by John Adams.

Cast/Performers

Eric Crambes (violin - Liturgy), Cameron Grant (piano - Liturgy), Cameron Grant (piano - Hallelujah Junction), Richard Moredock (piano - Hallelujah Junction)

Creatives/Company

Choreographer(s): Banjamin Millepied (A New Ballet), Christopher Wheeldon (Liturgy), George Balanchine (Variations Pour Une Porte et un Soupir), Peter Martins (Hallelujah Junction)
Music(s): Steve Reich (A New Ballet), Daniel Ott (A New Ballet), Arvo Part (Liturgy), Pierre Henry (Sonority - Variations Pour Une Porte et un Soupir), John Adams (Hallelujah Junction)