Thierry Malandain pays tribute to Beethoven in a piece that combines the 6th Symphony, Cantata op.112 and some motifs from the Ruins of Athens. A beautiful homage.
Originating from an invitation by the Bonn Opera – Beethoven's hometown – for the 250th anniversary of his birth, La Pastorale is the third time Thierry Malandin has approached the composer's work. Previous inspirations include Les Créatures, based on The Creatures of Prometheus and nominated for the Benois de la danse in Moscow, and the solo Silhouette. Thierry Malandain, a choreographer of both classical and innovative inclination, is attuned to the humanistic ethos championed by the freedom-seeking musician. La Pastorale, gives Malandin and his twenty-two dancers a unique chance to expound on his language, which emphasizes the power of the dancing body, its flights of sensuality and wild embraces. For if Beethoven's music is a purely abstract work, Malandain's earthy and musical dance is likely to bring out new sparks.
CHOREOGRAPHY Thierry Malandain
MUSIC Ludwig van Beethoven
DECORS AND COSTUMES Jorge Gallardo
LIGHTING François Menou
WITH 22 dancers