On Saturday, 9 March, at 7 pm, the Opera Nova Ballet is presenting Fascynacje [Fascinations] by two major figures of contemporary dance, choreographers Jorma Elo (Finland) and Mauro de Candia (Italy). Elo’s shows Brake the Eyes and1st Flash, as well as de Candia’s Auf Suche, Lacrimae and Something I had in Mindwill become part of the Opera Nova Ballet’s repertoire afterwards. The Saturday showing will be followed by another one on Sunday, 10 March.
The Opera Nova Ballet in Bydgoszcz is the first ballet company in Poland to cooperate with the two choreographers. It will also be the first one to receive Elo’s and de Candia’s choreographies. Each of the twenty-four dancers in Fascynacje plays the role of soloist and their performance is not restricted to dancing as such. Apart from preparing the choreography, Elo and de Candia were also involved in costume and lighting design. The show is set to the music of Mozart, Bach, Silelius, Pärt and Paganini. The show came to life thanks to the financial assistance awarded by the Institute of Music and Dance (IMiT) under its Choreographic Commissions programme. The premiere will be accompanied by an exhibition of Elżebieta Kowalska-Matuszewska’s paintings and graphic designs titled Z fascynacji rytmem [Fascinated by Rhythm].
After its premiere in Bydgoszcz, Fascynacje will be shown on 5 June at Teatr Wielki in Poznań.
About the choreographers and their shows:
Jorma ELO. Choreographer(Finland)
In just a few short years, Finnish-born Jorma Elo has become one of the most sought-after choreographers in the United States and Europe. Elo, who was named Resident Choreographer of Boston Ballet in 2005, was singled out as a “talent to follow” by Anna Kisselgoff in her 2004 Year in Review for The New York Times. It was an astute observation. He has since created numerous works in the US and internationally, including Slice to Sharp for New York City Ballet, Glow-Stop and C. to C. (Close to Chuck) for American Ballet Theatre, Double Evil for San Francisco Ballet, Carmen for Boston Ballet, 10 to Hyper M for Royal Danish Ballet, Offcore for Finnish National Ballet and Pointeoff for Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. His From All Sides debuted in January 2007 for Hubbard Street Dance Chicago, to a commissioned score from Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mead Composer-in- Residence, Mark Anthony Turnage, and the piece was conducted by Maestro Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Elo trained with the Finnish National Ballet School and the Kirov Ballet School in Leningrad. Prior to joining Netherlands Dance Theater in 1990, he danced with Finnish National Ballet from 1978 through 1984 and Cullberg Ballet from 1984 to 1990.
Elo has also received commissions from Basel Ballet, Ballet Debrezen (Hungary), Alberta Ballet (Blank Snow and L’Apres Midi d’un Faune/Spectre de la Rose), Norwegian National Ballet (Cut to Drive, Brake-Green), Finnish National Ballet (Happy is Happy, Twisted Shadow, Two Fast), Stockhom 59° North (in my DREAM team), Netherlands Dance Theatre 1 (1st Flash and Plan to A), Staatstheater Nurnberg (Slice to Core), Ballet X (Scenes View 2). For Boston Ballet, Elo has created six world premieres: Sharp Side of Dark (2002), Plan to B (2004), Carmen (2006), Brake the Eyes (2007), In On Blue (2008), and Le Sacre du Printemps (2009). He is also a skilled designer of costumes, lighting and video effects for his ballets.
The 2005 Helsinki International Ballet Competition awarded Elo a choreographic prize and he is the recipient of the Prince Charitable Trust Prize and the Choo-San Goh Choreographic Award in 2006. Dance Magazine (April, 2007) featured Elo on their cover with a corresponding article, Pointe Magazine named him a Dance VIP of 2006, and Esquire Magazine named him a “Master Artist” in 2008.
1stFlash
Assistant choreographer Christophe Dozzi
Costumes Joke Visser
Lighting Jordan Tuinman
Brake the Eyes
Assistant choreographer Anthony Randazzo
Lighting Jordan Tuinman
Costumes Charles Heighchew
Mauro de CANDIA (Italy)
Mauro began to dance at the age of nine.In 1991 he was noticed by Marika Besobrasova at Concorso La Scarpetta d’Óroin Verona. After two short periods spent at Scuola di Ballo del Teatro della Scala di Milanoand L’École – Atelier Rudra Béjart Lausanne, Mauro completed professional training at Accademia Grace di Monte Carlo. He then left Monte Carlo for Hannover and joined Ballett der Staatsoper Hannover. After only four months he was appointed the soloist by the ballet’s director Stephan Thoss. Although Mauro often works abroad, he admits to a strong bond with Italy. In 1997 he made his dream come true and set up Arte&BallettO, where he works as a dancer, choreographer and international events organiser. Between 2003 and 2005 Mauro was guest choreographer at Ballett der Staatsoper Hannover; that was also the time when many other, well-established companies and theatres had his works in their repertoire. Mauro took part in a range of large festivals, such as Quartier d´Été in Paris, Torino Danza, or the Festival Fringe in Edinburgh.His energetic work style prompted Introdans to commission him to create Optical Identity for their LIJNRECHT programme in the 2008/2009 season. His fresh adaptation of The Dying Swanwas featured at the 2009 Christmas Gala. This solo performance was also part of Introdans’ programme STERREN&STREPEN in the 2010/11 season.Currently, Mauro de Candia is the artistic director and choreographer of the Theater Osnabruck ballet (Germany).
Auf Suche[Searching]
Music: J.S. Bach
Lighting, costumes: Mauro de Candia
Premiere: 27 June 2003, Salle des Princes, Grimaldi Forum – Monte Carlo
“We would like to present the river of time in order to stand at its shore and watch it flow by. But the part of us that is eternal knows that life is timeless, that it is a series of precious moments proceeding one after another, each isolated from the rest of time.” Mauro de Candia’s metaphor foretells a duo in which two bodies meet to look for new horizons, imperceptible metaphors and nuances. The beauty of their souls radiates like mystic light from their bodies. A smooth and flowing duo, indefinite search for timeless and limitless emotions.
Lacrimae
Music: Pärt, Bach
Premiere: 19 June 2004, Salle Prince Pierre, Grimaldi Forum – Monte – Carlo
Dedicated to HSH Princess Antoinette of Monaco
Finding beauty in the serenity of a scared icon – deep within the soul or in a fresco – Lacrimaeexplores the soul, excavating moments of emotional tension. Abstract poetry takes the tangible form of human body, which almost “speaks”.
Something I had in Mind
Music: Nicolo Paganini, Edith Piaf
Premiere: 11 February 2012, Past Theater, Milwaukee, USA – Milwaukee Ballet
Winner of Genesis: International Choreographic Competition.
Mauro de Candia:“I have visualised this work as a series of sketches, visions, scenes from a dream. I set myself free from the usual narrative structure to walk unknown paths which could lead me to versatile understandings of my goal. The intention was to re-explore some moments of my choreographic works by challenging the dancers to use their whole bodies, including their faces, to express versatile emotions with forceful ballet technique. This work will be consistently lending a new perspective to my choreographic experience and possibly a new meaning.”