Katarzyna Kozyra, The Rite of Spring. Photo: From Zachęta Gallery archive.
On Wednesday, 29 May 2013 (6 pm), marking the exact centenary of the world premiere of The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky and Vatslav Nijinsky, which took place in Paris’ Théâtre des Champs Elysées, the Institute of Music and Dance together with the ZachętaNational Gallery of Art are presenting an extraordinary evening 100 Years of the Rite of Spring: From Nijinski to Kozyra to be held at the gallery’s multimedia room (pl. Małachowskiego 3, entrance from ul. Burschego) The programme features screenings of dance productions inspired by The Rite from Piana Bausch and Tero Saarinen, along with Katarzyna Kozyra’s famous installation. Scroll down for detailed descriptions. ADMISSION FREE.
Productions by Pina Bausch, Tero Saarinen and Katarzyna Kozyra – film screenings
Pina Bausch,Das Frühlingopfer/The Rite of Spring, 36’24”
Tero Saarinen,HUNT, 33’18”
Katarzyna Kozyra,Święto wiosny– demo version 4’24” + full version 13’56”
Exactly a century ago, on 29 May 1913, the premiere of The Rite of Spring by Igor Stravinsky in choreography by Vatslav Nijinsky caused a scandal, outraging the sophisticated audience of cultured Paris, who were taken aback by the novelty musical and chorographical form presented by the young creators. Nijinsky fully discarded classical dance, breaking its rules, distorting its harmonic body lines, and forcing it to gravitate towards the ground. The Rite became a milestone both in the history of music and the development of contemporary choreography. The creation of the Stravinsky/Nijinsky duo inspired over 200 dance productions.
Das Frühlingsopfer (The Rite of Spring)of 1975 was Pina Bausch’sfirst production after she took over as the director of the Tanztheater Wuppertal. The performance does not belong to the “dance theatre”, or Tanztheater, genre, later developed by Bausch, still is considered a turning point in the artist’s career. Unlike in Nijinsky’s choreography, in Bausch’s ballet, the centre of movement is located in the centre of the dancers’ bodies and their movements are directed to the inside, emanating anxiety, internal tremor, tension.
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HUNTby Tero Saarinenof 2002 is a solo performance created by the choreographer himself on commission from the Venice Biennale. Hunt is a confrontation of the individual with himself. The drama is unfolding inside the dancer’s body, overtaken by very different rhythms. The dancer is illuminated by live images – some are reminiscent of the insides of human body – tissues, organs and an open, gazing eye. The opposites of internal/external and hidden/visible tumble down, while the intimate performance becomes something of an installation.
Katarzyna Kozyra’sŚwięto wiosny(The Rite of Spring) is a stop motion film presented in a way to create in the viewer the impression of walking among dancers. In the artist’s words: “We usually associate the body with a person of free will. My film presents an inert body. My old men have passive bodies, [they are] like puppets which I bend to and fro. I do what I want, they will not oppose me. I use their bodies and do away with the belief that human beings are self-determining and self-ruling creatures. Here the person is controlled from outside. You see only the body, devoid of will. Yet it is moving. It’s a Totentanz of some sort!”.
Organisers: ZachętaNational Gallery of Art, Institute of Music and Dance
