A Thrilling Triple Bill Comes To The London Coliseum

On December 7th and 8th, hot on the heels of 'GABRIELLE CHANEL' with Svetlana Zakharova at the Coliseum (December 3rd, 4th, 5th) MuzArts presents a triple bill like no other - a rare and wonderful treat for ballet fans.

The programme heralds the UK premiere of Edward Clug's 'RADIO & JULIET' set to the music of Radiohead and performed by English National Ballet First Soloist Katja Khaniukova and Principal of the Mariinsky Ballet Denis Matvienko.

Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui's 'FAUN' (2009), a re-make of Nijinsky's classic 'L'après Midi d'un Faune' (1912) has become a true contemporary classic on its own and will be performed by two of the Bolshoi's finest Principals: Anastasia Stashkevich and Vaycheslav Lopatin.

The triple bill is crowned with the world premiere of 'McGREGOR + MUGLER', a contemporary ballet choreographed by Royal Ballet Resident Choreographer Wayne McGregor, art directed and designed by legendary creator Manfred Thierry Mugler and performed by Bolshoi Ballet Prima Ballerina Olga Smirnova and Royal Ballet Principal Edward Watson.

McGREGOR + MUGLER (World Premiere)

Choreography and Direction: Wayne McGregor
Costume Design & Art Direction: Manfred Thierry MUGLER

Performed by: Bolshoi Ballet Prima Ballerina Olga Smirnova

& Royal Ballet Principal Edward Watson

Produced by: MuzArts

Says Wayne McGregor: "Manfred Thierry Mugler is not only a true fashion icon, but an incredible collaborator. It has been a pleasure to share energy, passion and trust throughout this new creative adventure. The process has offered new perspectives for both of us. The resulting work is unexpected, extreme and transformative."

Says Manfred Thierry Mugler: "Ballet is totally part of me and the first artistic expression I could experience as a professional ballet dancer myself. It is an art that has followed me everywhere I was creating. Working on a new creation with such talented people as Wayne McGregor, Olga Smirnova and Edward Watson is an absolute achievement that totally embodies my vision of what is creativity. Working with Wayne McGregor has been obvious as soon as I met him. We are both artistically as free as creative people can be. This ballet will be an explosion of true beauty, freedom and wildness with a meaning about what is to celebrate the most beautiful animal on earth: the human being. We play with the frontiers between real and unreal, masculine and feminine, past and future, nature and cosmos."

"Having Olga Smirnova and Edward Watson embodying this creation is like magic. When Wayne asked me to be art director on the top of creating the costumes, I was extremely happy. He got me right on «pointe». Olga and Edward are true artists who represent the best of what classical ballet means in the world. This creation is a challenge though where the audience will discover not only the perfection of their dance, but the most essential and complex feelings humans can share through art."

RADIO & JULIET (UK Premiere)

Choreography: Edward CLUG
Music: RADIOHEAD
Lighting Design: Tomaž PREMZL
Costumes: Leo KULAŠ

Produced and performed by: THE GREAT GATSBY BALLET COMPANY

Soloists: Katja KHANIUKOVA

Denis MATVIENKO

Cast: Ivan ZHURAVLEV

Dmitriy ABRAM

Anton BULATETSKI

Roman BAGLAI

Alexey KUCHERENKO

Length: 55 min.

Choreographer Edward Clug is highly regarded by audiences and critics around the world for his sizzling approach to contemporary ballet. In 'Radio & Juliet' (photo right) he has synthesized the subtle mix of electronic music and rock by Radiohead, one of the UK's all-time top selling bands, with some distinct choreography. Clug has worked closely with Tomaž Premzl on lighting effects and video installation which is designed to envelop the audience in an all-round experience. 'Radio & Juliet' is set at the very moment in Shakespeare's tale when Juliet awakens to find Romeo lying dead beside her; Clug's ballet is set in modern times with a storyline that unfolds in flashback in Juliet's mind.

Says Clug:

"There was that one specific moment in Shakespeare's tale which drew my attention - the moment when Juliet awakens to find Romeo lying dead next to her. What if she did not choose to part with her life at that very moment? I see 'Radio & Juliet' as a development of this possibility."

FAUN

Choreography: Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui
Music: Claude Debussy
Additional music:Nitin SAWHNEY
Costume Design: Hussein CHALAYAN
Lighting Design: Adam CARRÉE

Performed by: Bolshoi Ballet Principals

Anastasia STASHKEVICH

& Vaycheslav LOPATIN

'FAUN' was created by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui as part of the centenary celebrations of Ballets Russes at Sadler's Wells in 2009. Cherkaoui chose his inspiration from one of the legendary company's productions, L'Après Midi d'un Faune with original choreography by Vaslav Nijinsky set to Debussy's impressionistic score. Nijinsky's version was inspired by Greek art and was considered daring and controversial at the time (1912). In Cherkaoui's version, which will be performed at the Coliseum by two of the Bolshoi's Principal Dancers - Anastasia Stashkevich and Vaycheslav Lopatin - the Faun is half animal, half man; its movements are visceral, free. The Nymph is deeply rooted in the forest and the interaction between the two is simultaneously innocent yet filled with the sexual tension of Nijinsky's original choreography. Cherkaoui asked composer Nitin Sawhney to add his own musical language to Debussy's score which enables the music to glide seamlessly from one style and culture to another. The fashion designer Hussein Chalayan has created beautiful costumes for the two creatures.

To post a comment, you must register and login.