Kraków Opera: Jacek Tyskis Dwie Historie jeden Taniec [Two Stories One Dance] premieres this Saturday

Choreographers do not usually draw their inspiration from jazz music. It is even less typical to witness ballet dancers perform to the accompaniment of a bass guitar, which is precisely the case in Dwie Historie ? jeden Taniec [Two Stories ? One Dance]. Once we learn that the accompanying musicians are composers themselves: Piotr Orzechowski (also known as Pianohooligan) in the first act, and Krzysztof Ścierański (Poland?s best bass guitarist) in the second act, one may expect nothing but an intriguing and unique event.

On Saturday, 29 October 2016 (6:30 pm), the Kraków Opera will present the premiere of Dwie historie ? Jeden taniec [Two Stories ? One Dance], a ballet in two acts accompanied by live music composed and performed by Piotr Orzechowski, one of the most talented jazz musicians of the young generation, and Krzysztof Ścierański, composer and bass guitarist, member of the legendary Laboratorium band. The choreography was created by Jacek Tyski, dancer and choreographer, soloist of the Polish National Ballet, whose previous collaborations with the Kraków stage have included a choreographic etude Uwertura żołnierza [Soldier?s Overture] tothe music by Pyotr Tchaikovsky (staged as part of the ballet piece titled Emocje [Emotions]). The stage designs and the costumes were designed by Anna Sekuła.

Two Stories ? One Dance uses the language of dance to present a story of everyday life problems. The characters must face a range of good and bad decisions they have taken. Love, infidelity and rejection are no small challenge, but the protagonists nonetheless try to let life take its course, searching for colourful moments and shared happiness. Featuring the Kraków Opera Ballet, the piece shows two similar stories, illustrated by dance and presented employing two different music and dance/aesthetic styles.

The message in a ballet piece does not have to be narrative for the audience to follow the story we want to transmit, says Jacek Tyski. Equally important is the physical component, the energy which flows through our dance and resounds through the music. Our bodies are like instruments. Every movement, every gestures is important?, adds the choreographer.

Produced by:

Choreography: Jacek Tyski

Music: Piotr Orzechowski, Krzysztof Ścierański

Stage design and costumes: Anna Sekuła

Lighting design: Dariusz Pawelec

Conductor: Grzegorz Brajner

DANCE:

Giulia Bellotti, Paulina Cisłowska, Agnieszka Chlebowska, Martyna Dobosz, Małgorzata Dorosiewicz-Witczak, Julia Galambos, Dzina Kazyrskaya, Bożena Kowalska, Anastasiya Krasouskaya, Mizuki Kurosawa, Mariana Morfin-Sanchez, Agnieszka Raczyńska, Katarzyna Sanocka, Maki Sekuzu, Clara Ushizaka, Leonardo Cusinato, Robert Kędziński, Maciej Pluskowski, Dzmitry Prokharau, Tomasz Staniak, Takafumi Tamagawa, Vadzim Trukhan, Yauheni Yatskevich

GRAND PIANO

Piotr Orzechowski

BASS GUITAR, ELECTRICT GUITAR

Krzysztof Ścierański

Repeat performance: 30 November 2016, 6:30 pm

Dwie historie ? jeden taniec [Two Stories ? One Dance] is another premiere by the Kraków Opera Ballet, whose previous premieres include Glances choreographed by Nina Diatchenko (2009), Rachmaninov. Shchedrin? (The Tragedy of Don José) choreographed by Ondrej Šoth (2012), Cinderella (2010) and Orpheus and Euridice (2013) choreographed by Giorgio Madia, ?The Nutcracker? (2013) choreographed by Emil Wesołowski, and Emotions, a four movement piece choreographed by Katarzyna Aleksander-Kmieć, Violetta Suska and Jacek Tyski (2015).

More information: www.opera.krakow.pl