The French composer Maurice Ravel remains a source of inspiration for any choreographer. Artistic director and star choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and rising talent Jeroen Verbruggen take their vision of Ravel’s music to the stage.
Jeroen Verbruggen, who as a young student dancer at the Royal Ballet School won the Prix de Lausanne, has drawn his inspiration from Ravel’s Pavane pour une Infante défunte. Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui also translates Ravel into dance, opting for Pictures at an Exhibition, which was originally by Mussorgsky, but here in an orchestration by Ravel. Of course a performance devoted to Ravel couldn’t be without his Boléro. Creating a Boléro is on the artistic wish-list of many a choreographer. Who will be the next to unleash his demons on Ravel’s legendary composition? A programme full of surprises with which Royal Ballet Flanders might just write a page of dance history.
Modest Moussorgski (orchestration Maurice Ravel): “Pictures at an Exhibition”
Maurice Ravel: “Pavane pour une Infante défunte”, “Ma Mère l’Oye”