Photo: Katarzyna Zalewska.
Stravinsky’s Evening – a two-part programme set to the music of Igor Stravinsky. The audience will be treated to choreographies by Paul Julius and Jacek Przybyłowicz. The premiere will set off the 8th Spring Festival in Poznan. The show will subsequently be staged on 28 April, 7 May and 6 June.
Paul Juliuscreated a new interpretation ofThe Rite of Spring, commissioned by Poznań’s Teatr Wielki to celebrate the anniversary ofThe Rite’s world premiere in Paris 100 years ago. His career path ran through the Stuttgarter Ballett and the New York City Ballet, for which he created his shows. Paul Julius’ eclectic ability to combine different dance aesthetics makes his shows choreographic images which stay in the audience’s memory for long.
ChoreographerJacek Przybyłowicztook upon himselfto stage Igor Stravinsky’sOedipus the Kingtogether with the dancers, solo singers and choir of Teatr Wielki. Rarely staged in Poland, Sophocles’ ancient tragedy is a challenge for the artists involved in the staging and a feast for Stravinsky’s admirers. Presented in association with the Nuova Foundation, the event will open the 8thSpring Festival.
The centenary of the world premiere of Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring, with the memorable choreography by Vatslav Nijinsky, gives Paul Julius’ staging a particular significance. The German choreographer decided to skip the context of the previous realizations, including the most famous ones (by Maurice Béjart or Pina Bausch) and work exclusively on the composition in its full orchestral version and the libretto, which leaves a considerable scope for free interpretation. Consequently, the Poznan premiere is not a mere repetition of the specific “modernist rite” but an original renewal of its expression. The 100 years of The Rite’s subsequent realizations and reception form a cycle, reminiscent of the cycle of seasons, with solstices marked with vitality, sacrifice, death and revival. Referring to the images described in the libretto, Paul Julius searches for a universal dimension of rite and its physical expression, which sets the dancers’ bodies in movement. At the same time, Julius draws inspiration from the impersonal phenomenon of nature – in his abstract work, the suggestive quality of the choreography is enhanced with the image of mutually complementing elements of Earth and life-giving Water.
Preceding the premiere, on 27 April 2013 at 5 pm, Dr Marcin Gmys will host a meeting with Professor
MICHAL BRISTIGER, bespoke musicologist, who is going to talk on Igor Stravinsky’s work (Drabowicz Hall, Teatr Wielki).
Oedipus the King(Oedipus Rex)
One-act opera
Libretto:Jean Cocteau
Based on Sophocles’ tragedy
Original Latin version with Polish subtitles and Polish narration
DirectedandchoreographedbyJacek Przybyłowicz
Musicdirector:Gabriel Chmura
Stagedesign: Petra Korink
Costumes: Paweł Grabarczyk
Lightingdirector: Marc Heinz
Choirdirector: Mariusz Otto
The Rite of Spring(Le Sacre du printemps)
Libretto: Igor Stravinsky, Nicholas Roerich
Choreography: Paul Julius
Music director: Grzegorz Wierus
Stage design: Petra Korink
Costumes: Paweł Grabarczyk
Lighting director: Marc Heinz
