Ivo Pogorelich, pianista di eccellente talento, si esibisce sabato 28 novembre alle 19 (turno B) per la Stagione concertistica 2009-2010 del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari con il suo recital di pianoforte che prevede l’esecuzione di un programma che spazia dal romanticismo di Chopin (1810-1849) al brillante e virtuosistico Mephistowalzer (1883) di Liszt (1811-1886) ed al celebre Valse triste (1904) di Sibelius (1865-1957), per arrivare alle lunari atmosfere del raveliano Gaspard de la nuit (1908).

Il programma musicale prevede: Notturno in mi bemolle maggiore op 55 n. 2, Sonata in si minore op. 58 di Fryderyk Chopin; Mephistowalzer R 38 di Franz Liszt; Valse triste op. 44 (versione per pianoforte) di Jean Sibelius; Gaspard de la nuit di Maurice Ravel.

La Stagione concertistica 2009-2010 si avvale del contributo della Fondazione Banco di Sardegna.

Prezzi biglietti

platea € 35,00 (settore giallo), € 30,00 (settore rosso), € 25,00 (settore blu);

I loggia € 30,00 (settore giallo), € 25,00 (settore rosso), € 20,00 (settore blu);

II loggia € 10,00 (settore giallo), € 10,00 (settore rosso), € 7,00 (settore blu).

Per informazioni

Biglietteria del Teatro Lirico

dal martedì al sabato, dalle 8 alle 14 e dalle 18 alle 20

telefono 0704082230 – 0704082249, fax 0704082223, biglietteria@teatroliricodicagliari.it;

www.teatroliricodicagliari.it;

prevendita www.vivaticket.it, call center 899.666.805.

A.M

Erst abspielen, dann weiterlesen! … Na, wer jetzt nicht wach ist, wird es nimmer mehr . Ich war lange in herbstlicher Stimmung verfangen – Herbst ist schön, wie uns nicht zu letzt Jacqueline du Pré mit Fauré’s Elegie nahe gebracht hat – aber es gibt ja auch den „Morgen danach“. Hier ist, als Aufwecker, Maurice Ravel – u. a. Schüler von Gabriel Fauré – mit der Toccata aus dem „Tombeau de Couperin“, das letzte Stück aus dem sechsteiligen Klavierzyklus. Der Meister selbst auf der (Papier-) „Rolle“ eine Aufnahme von 1922 – wie gestern auf die CD genagelt! Die Ravelsche Toccata … vielleicht auch eine (starke) Antwort auf die gestern von Charles Ives gestellte Frage?

November 1

I was so overwhelmed when I sat down in my seat inside the Philharmonie concert hall.

Although not seeing Simon Rattle and Berlin Philharmoniker (the world renowned orchestra), here I was, sitting inside this famous hall that supposedly did not have one single bad seat. I was about to see another great orchestra – Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra.

My seat was right above the back of the orchestra, in the first row, and I basically looked straight into the conductor’s eyes (except that he didn’t need to look up to my level). The design of the hall was very modern which the audience surrounded the orchestra and stage. It was very geometric. The hall sort of reminded me of CPMC with its modern and geometric design, although I am not even close to imply that they are similar acoustically or architecturally. No photography was allowed in the hall, so I had to use a photo from Google image for your reference:

(The photo doesn’t represent the view from my seat, FYI)

The first notes brought tears to my eyes. No joke. Trying to describe the sound would be like trying to tell a blind man what colors looked like. The notes sounded like the sky opened and the music came down from heaven.

Well, except that the sound came from below and I am obviously exaggerating. Seriously though, it was not like any live concerts I had heard before. I thought of Disney’s Fantasia, where you could see a “live orchestra” for Mickey but the sound came from previously recorded CDs. The acoustic and micing were so good that I sort of felt like that.

I glanced over the microphones above the orchestra. It was a nice feeling to use something I learned from school. The sound engineers positioned the mics pretty close to each section and instrument, unlike many symphonies – they usually just have room mics right up in the air.

My favorites were the last two pieces: Le Tombeau de Couperin and Boléro by Maurice Ravel.

Bertrand de Billy, the conductor, kept some rhythm in his conducting and had the balance between being a metronome and air-painter. It was straightforward without any pretentious sugar-coating, and he was powerful.

The final piece was a familiar tune to almost all music lovers’ ears, I think. Ravel’s Boléro. I now understand the difficulty in this piece. Ravel pretty much had the same melody going throughout the whole piece, rotated between different instruments. The only thing changing was really just the dynamics, building from strings plucking to bowing along with layers of winds. The biggest challenge was to play this piece and not lose your audience. With such a long build up (~13 minutes), it would be easy to zoom out through the repetition. It seemed like Bertrand de Billy gave the soloists freedom on the styles of the melodies. I have to say, even with my short attention span, the orchestra really drew me in. The hall really showed off the dynamic build-up in this piece as well.

One thing I noticed was the way Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra ended with their pieces. I love the unity in their motion that said, “Here it is. Watch out.” It was elegant and passionate at the same time, and it gave a nice closure for everyone.

—

On the other hand, Le Tombeau de Couperin is now one of my favorite piece of all time. I’ve been listening to it repeatedly (obsessively). Go listen to it if you have never heard of this! Such a beautiful piece.

Eh, uite ca am ajuns la unul dintre primii compozitori rusi de care m-am indragostit. Totusi este o problema – daca vrei sa-i intelegi muzica, trebuie sa fii un pic scrantit, dar din fericire eu posed aceasta calitate.

Prokofiev a activat ca pianist, compozitor si dirijor, fiind recunoscut drept unul dintre cei mai mari compozitori ai sec XX.

Prima piesa compusa fost la varsta de 5 ani, dar avea un lucru deosebit, pentru ca lui Prokofiev ii era frica de tastele negre ale pianului, melodia, desi compusa in Fa Major Lidian, in loc sa aiba Si b avea Si natural (for the music geeks ). De la varsta de 11 ani, a inceput sa ia lectii de pian de la Reinhold Gliere timp de 1 an intreg, insa desi Serghei il aprecia pe Gliere pentru calitatile sale academice, i-a reprosat faptul ca l-a invatat o muzica neinteresanta si teapana. Motiv pentru care a trebuit sa se dezvete de cele deprinse de-a lungul unui an intreg si a inceput sa compuna melodii cu multe disonante, semnaturi de timp variate si ciudate, creandu-si propriul stil.

Intotdeauna a fost privit ca un excentric si un rebel pentru muzica moderna, pe care o flutura in fata conservatorilor cu nonsalanta. Muzica sa avand numeroase aspecte moderniste si ermetice, a cauzat multe scandaluri, continand in principal structuri disonante si cromatice (n.r. – succesiunea notelor din semiton in semiton: Fa-Fa#-Sol-Sol#). De altminteri, la un concert de-al sau, sala s-a golit dupa primele 2 piese, spectatorii plangandu-se de “muzica futurista – oricine poate crea asa ceva”.

Prima compozitie pentru balet, numita “Chout”, a avut un succes rasunator, fiind foarte apreciata de Jean Cocteau, Igor Stravinsky si Maurice Ravel, ultimul spunand ca “aceasta este singura compozitie modernista pe care o pot asculta cu placere”.

Pentru ca se simtea limitat in Rusia si era de parerea ca oamenii nu pot intelege cu adevarat muzica experimentala, s-a hotarat sa plece in America. Ajuns in San Francisco, a avut parte de un succes rasunator ca pianist si compozitor, dar dupa fiasco-ul legat de opera “Iubirea pentru Trei Portocale” si lipsa banilor, s-a simtit nevoit sa plece la Paris, nevrand sa se intoarca cu esecul deasupra capului inapoi in Rusia. Stabilit in Franta, oamenii l-au primit cu bratele deschise, iar cu cat trecea timpul, cu atat crestea si apetitul spectatorilor pentru muzica modernista, trecand pragul neoclasicismului. 

Succesul sau a fost intr-atat de mare, incat s-a reintors in America si a inceput un turneu, dar dupa atata vreme, dorul de casa il apasa din ce in ce mai mult, astfel s-a reintors in Rusia, unde alaturi de Serghei Eisenstein, a compus muzica pentru filmul “Alexander Nevsky” (epic win!)

Fiind reintors in tara natala, i-a fost ceruta compunerea unor piese pentru slavirea lui Stalin, piese cunoscute sub numele de “Sonatele razboiului”. Acestea au fost interpretate atat de el, cat si de Svatioslav Richter si Emil Gilels in jurul anului 1943 (n.r. – pentru continuare vezi sectiunea Trivia din articol). Datorita regimului asupritor, multe dintre operele sale au fost cenzurate, iar directorii de teatre si opere i-au refuzat ofertele, temandu-se de posibilele consecinte.

Prokofiev a murit la varsta de 61 de ani, in aceeasi zi cu Iosif Stalin.

Acesta a ramas unul dintre cei mai mari compozitori si pianisti ai secolului XX, compozitiile sale fiind interpretate mai des decat oricare alt compozitor din ultimul secol.

Trivia:

- pentru ca moartea lui Prokofiev a survenit in aceeasi zi cu cea a lui Stalin, la inmormantarea sa au fost folosite flori de hartie, toate florile naturale fiind rezervate pentru inmormantarea dictatorului; de asemenea, corpul neinsufletist al artistului nu a putut fi dus la cimitir, datorita marii de oamenii ce impanzeau strazile, jelind moartea lui Stalin

- desi Sonata Nr. 7 a primit Premiul Stalin Gradul 2 si Sonata Nr. 8 a primit Premiul Stalin Gradul 1, aceste “Sonate ale razboiului” erau indreptate impotriva regimului stalinist (ironic, nu?)

- ultima interpretare publica a artistului a fost Simfonia a Saptea in 1952, dar muzica din spatele acestei opere fusese scrisa pentru o emisiune de copii

- tema principala din “Romeo si Julieta” se regaseste in melodia “Only Ash Remains” a formatiei de technical death metal Necrophagist (de la minutul 3:38) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1DND8S_CF_g

Va multumesc pentru ca ati fost atenti. Pana pe data aviatoare,

I am the music guy,

Tiberiu

When he entered the room with his confident style, it became the crowning moment to a spectacular evening. Ravel was among his fans and friends.
 
On November 5, guests gathered at the home of Cavalor Champion, Steffen Peters and Ravel – Arroyo Del Mar Farm in San Diego – to relive the team’s accomplishments of the year, including a clean sweep of the Rolex FEI World Cup Dressage Finals and the World Equestrian Festival CHIO. The event lived up to its promise to deliver a once-in-a-lifetime event featuring a rare video, commentary by Peters, and a visit from Ravel.
 
Proceeds from “Honoring Ravel” benefited the Equestrian Aid Foundation (EAF), a nonprofit that provides assistance for basic medical needs funding for those in the equestrian community suffering from catastrophic illness or injury.
 
“I am happy that Ravel can make a contribution to the larger equestrian community and especially those in need,” said Akiko Yamazaki, Ravel’s owner.
 
Guests were treated to a full evening of surprises. Starting with champagne and hors d’oeuvres served in unexpectedly elegant surroundings that Team Peters barely recognized. Designer Tim Ballengee of Menlo Park, California, transformed the covered arena into an upscale cocktail lounge and intimate dining room created from 500 yards of natural muslin, artwork, candles, linens and floral arrangements featuring hydrangeas, curly willow branches and crisp green apples.

After enjoying images of Ravel projected on a large screen, R. Scot Evans, president of the EAF, discussed the importance of the team’s accomplishments. “While honoring a horse that has made U.S. Dressage history, it seems only fitting to reflect on the people that come with horses and the team behind the scenes,” Evans said.

The Road to Hong Kong, a video diary created as a gift by Jerry Yang for his wife Yamazaki’s 40th birthday, follows Ravel’s trials and triumphs with interviews and performance footage.
 
President of Cavalor, a Peters’ sponsor, Philippe Collard traveled all the way from Montreal, Quebec to be part of the festivities. He said, “I was happy to be there because I think we played a part in this year’s success of Steffen and Ravel.”
 
Peters introduced the video of his two World Cup tests, including the freestyle featuring music by Cold Play and the Rolling Stones. Donated by Carr-Hughes Production, the video re-created a celebration that had guests cheering. 
 
Then the real celebration began. Quietly standing off to the side, out of sight, Ravel waited. As Peters had envisioned, the lights went up after the video and the grand horse made his entrance to a jubilant crowd.
 
Yamazaki said, “It is very special that he can be present himself!”
 
Peters then introduced his team, including Ravel’s owners, groom, veterinarian, Peters’ wife Shannon and all the people who share their days on the farm.
 
As guests danced and talked over the music, they each received an autographed keepsake book – Steffen Peters and Ravel – created for the event with hand-selected photos by Yamazaki. Photographers from around the world donated their images from Ravel’s first day in quarantine at UC Davis to Princess Haya’s presentation at Aachen. The limited edition hard cover book includes donated images from professional photographers Sheryl L. Ross, Susan J. Stickle, Valeria Streun and Thomas Rubel. It also includes a few personal photos of Yamazaki’s, like her young daughter feeding Ravel a carrot during the 2008 Olympic Trials.
 
The evening was made possible by the generous contributions of benefactors The Riggio Foundation and Dogwood Hill; event sponsors Cavalor, Back on Track, Elegant Events Catering Co., Respond Systems, Horse Tech, Custom Saddlery and Mary’s Tack and Feed. Donations were also made in Ravel’s honor by Jessica Ransehousen and Ashley, Connie and Rick Schrempp.
 
“We are fortunate to have such an organization as the Equestrian Aid Foundation,” Peters said. “It was wonderful to be a part of a night benefiting a great charity and honoring such an amazing horse.”

“Bolero (Boléro, no título original francês) é uma música para balé na tonalidade de dó maior composta entre Julho e Outubro de 1928 por Maurice Ravel. É uma das mais célebres obras musicais de todos os tempos e a mais famosa peça de Ravel. “

[C]:: A primeira vez que vi a coreografia do Bolero de Ravel, eu tinha 16 anos. Foi ammor à primeira vista.

Manuel de Falla

Manuel de Falla (1876-1946) es uno de los autores más representativos del Nacionalismo Español. Alumno de Felipe Pedrell, se trasladó a París en su juventud conociendo allí a Debussy y Ravel. Más tarde volvería a España, concretamente a Granada, donde pasaría la mayor parte de su vida hasta marcharse a Argentina, tras la Guerra Civil.

Aunque la mayoría de sus obras presentan temática nacionalista, Falla no utiliza en ningún momento melodías populares puras, sino que su estilo entremezcla rasgos de estilo “español” con pinceladas de Impresionismo francés.

Su obras más conocida es “El Amor Brujo”, ballet en un acto de temática andaluza e inspiración flamenca, cuyo libreto podéis leer aquí http://es.wikisource.org/wiki/El_amor_brujo_(libreto)

Otras obras suyas son: “La Vida Breve”, “Noches en los Jardines de España”, “el Retablo de Maese Pedro” y “El Sombrero de Tres Picos”.

Si queréis saber más, podéis encontrar información sobre su vida y sus obras en su página oficial: http://www.manueldefalla.com/

Aquí tenéis un vídeo de “El Amor Brujo” con coreografía de Carlos Saura:

Y por último, un análisis de la “Fantasía Baética”: http://www.latindex.ucr.ac.cr/kan004-11.php

Inauguramos el Blog con una presentación sobre el primer tema de la asignatura: El Impresionismo Musical

Aí tedes a Sergei Prokofiev en Nova Iorque, en 1918.  Nunha estampa que semella reflectir todo o glamour que a cultura europea representa para o público norteamericano. Nos últimos días estou repasando os seus concertos para piano nunha serie de audicións que complemento coas obras para piano a solo de Maurice Ravel.

Prokofiev foi un autor preocupado pola melodía desde o punto de vista neoclásico do termo e  iso quizais o diferencie doutros compositores rusos contenporáneos como Stravinsky ou Shostakovich; él mesmo dicía: “Amo a melodía e a considero o elemento máis esencial da música”.

Na súa obra latexa o século XX, con todo o seu significado.  Por eses tempos terroríficos e fascinadores Prokofiev, como os demáis, navegou como ben soubo e/ou lle permitiron, deixándonos unha obra xenial e inspiradora como poucas.

O video que vos deixo desta volta pertence ao primeiro movemento do seu  concerto para piano nº 3 con Martha Argerich, nada menos, como solista.

]]> http://13prod.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/la-passion-bolero/ Fri, 06 Nov 2009 12:22:28 +0000 13prod http://13prod.wordpress.com/2009/11/06/la-passion-bolero/

Le documentaire La Passion Boléro (2007 – 52 minutes) – Ecrit par Michel Follin et Christian Labrande, Réalisé par Michel Follin sera rediffusé sur ARTE France aux dates suivantes:

- le 21/12 à 22h11 et le 23/12 à 14h13
- le 27/12 à 06h
- le 02/01 à 01h45

Présentation:

Jugée exaspérante ou envoûtante, scie musicale ou coup de génie, fredonnée aux quatre coins de la planète dans les arrangements les plus divers, l’œuvre la plus fréquemment interprétée de tout le répertoire classique, le Boléro de Maurice Ravel n’a fait jusque là l’objet d’aucun film.

Le fil conducteur, c’est en quelque sorte l’élucidation du “mystère Boléro” : comment une œuvre apparemment aussi simple a-t-elle pu devenir le plus grand succès du répertoire classique, fredonnée par les profanes, mais aussi admirées par des musiciens exigeants ? Quel est le secret de cette universalité et de la fascination que le Boléro exerce sur les cinéastes, les chorégraphes aussi différents que Maurice Béjart, Odile Duboc, ou sur des personnalités aussi diverses que Claude Lelouch, Jean Echenoz, Kurt Masur ou les soeurs Labèque ?

Distribué par ARTE Distribution

Here are some of Stravinsky’s thoughts on other composers, taken from Robert Craft’s less than reliable book Conversations with Igor Stravinsky:

I remember seeing Mahler in St. Petersburg. His concert there was a triumph. Rimsky was still alive, I believe, but he wouldn’t have attended because a work by Tchaikovsky was on the programme (I think it was Manfred, the dullest piece imaginable). Mahler also played some Wagner fragments and a symphony of his own. Mahler impressed me greatly, himself and his conducting.

I would like to admit all Strauss operas to whichever purgatory punishes triumphant banality. Their musical substance is cheap and poor; it cannot interest a musician today. I am glad that young musicians today have come to appreciate the lyric gift in the songs of the composer Strauss despised, and is more significant in our music than he is: Gustav Mahler.

Budapest Táncszínház: Ravel

1. rész: Gaspard de la nuit, Concerto en Sol

Zene: Maurice Ravel

Jelmez: Radmila J. Dapic

Koreográfus: Marie-Laure Bédel-Tarneaud

2. rész: Bolero

Koreográfus: Raza Hammadi

BEMUTATÓ, Nemzeti Táncszínház , Október 29.

Mon bureau de luxe reprend son envol demain.

Et cette fois-ci, le contrat semble d’emblée plus juteux que il y a un an, jugez plutôt:

Comme on chanterait chez Maurice: “Asie, Asie, Asie …”

Pendant qu’on fête la chute d’un mur, j’irai probablement crapahuter sur un bout d’un autre en Chine, fêter mon anniversaire à Osaka, pester que je ne peux pas rejouer la scène de “Lost In Translation” à Kyoto par manque de temps, et, entre autres japoniaiseries, visiter enfin les Studios Ghibli dans la capitale. Il y aura du thé, des bols, de la bière, des fêtes et de la musique partout. J’espère arriver à trouver le temps de vous faire partager un morceau du voyage (genre…  les ergots, dans le poulet, vu que j’aime pas trop)

D’ici là, ma valise n’étant pas faite du tout du tout (mais comme j’ai réussi à arrêter un nombre minimal de paires de chaussures et de jeans, le plus dur est donc accompli), je vais cesser de batifoler devant cet écran.

Je vous laisse avec une madeleine de saison, qui me terrorisait quand j’étais petite.

Bonne danse macabre, les petits ! Moi ce soir, le potiron, je le mange (rire satanique!)

Morphoses dancers performing Commedia (via Sadler’s Wells YouTube channel)

Morphoses’ third London season has just come to a close. This year they came almost entirely depleted of their NYCB roster, something we lament since we cannot easily cross over the Atlantic to see that fabulous team at home. Nevertheless Morphoses remains a vibrant company providing the opportunity for an eclectic public to discover a mix of interesting dancers matched to new choreography.

The programme I saw, a tribute to the Ballets Russes and their collaborative spirit, opened and closed with captivating works. Wheeldon’s Commedia is a charming take on the carefree and playful world of the Commedia dell’arte to match Stravinsky’s Pulcinella suite, a spoof on early eighteenth-century music. The simplicity of the set and costumes, the absence of a corps de ballet reminds us that Morphoses works on a tight budget,  but Wheeldon compensates by displaying his gift for fluid choreography added to what is essentially classical dance vocabulary. Although one wishes certain sections of the ballet were expanded on, particularly the solo sections for razor sharp Rory Hohenstein and sparkly Leanne Benjamin, on the whole this is a piece that makes a long trip to Sadler’s Wells on a wintry evening well worth it.

So does Ratmansky’s Bolero, a fine translation into steps of Ravel’s music, also originally composed for The Ballets Russes. Three men (Juan Pablo Ledo, Edwaard Liang and Lucas Segovia) and three women (the always amazing Wendy Whelan, Melissa Barak and Danielle Rowe) dressed as athletes, gradually move from individuality to unison in response to the rising demands of the score. There are no set designs and, unlike the evening’s less strong middle section works, “Leaving Songs” and “Softly as I leave you”, no use of props to maximize dramatic impact. All the better to let the choreography speak.

Tim Harbour’s Leaving Songs was supposed to be about endings and beginnings but stayed in the middle, mixing classical phrases with usual modern moves. It did have one good thing going for it, in the shape and extensions of Rubinald Pronk. Pronk’s chemistry with his regular dance partner Drew Jacoby could also be seen in the next piece “Softly as I Leave You” (by husband and wife team Paul Lightfoot and Sol Leon). Despite the recorded music and the overreliance on a wooden box for drama, there were luscious extensions and lifts as well as a sense of true intimacy between these amazing dancers.

At the start of the performance Wheeldon greeted us with his trademark introduction to the evening’s pieces. But before each section there were also short video extracts on the dancers and/or choreographers. Those videos are a great idea but would perhaps grab us more if screened at the start of the performance or as part of DVD extras. With their third season done and dusted, what is next for Wheeldon’s company? It seems that Wheeldon’s initial plans for a permanent company of 20 dancers are still faraway and the fact that the second circle had plenty of empty seats is worrisome. Is Morphoses going to continue focusing on abstract pieces à la Balanchine because of lack of funding? That would be a shame given Wheeldon’s strength in narrative pieces. I left the theatre thinking that Commedia would also have worked as a narrative one-act ballet and hoping that seasons to come will be able to deliver that sort of thing.

The Morphoses London Season opens tonight at Sadler’s Wells with a programme dedicated to 100 years of Ballets Russes, an appropriate choice for a company structured in the same way and whose mission to “broaden the scope of classical ballet through the creation of innovative productions and collaboration with the seminal artists of its time” ties in with the feats of Diaghilev’s own legendary troupe.

Three years and many accolades on, Christopher Wheeldon’s company continues to match some of ballet’s brightest stars to new work by the best choreographers and designers around.  By nurturing these quasi pro bono collaborations, Morphoses projects the image of a fresh and accessible company whose main objectives are to target the 25-34  year old public not familiar with ballet and to challenge some of the preconceptions associated with the art form.

As part of Wheeldon’s target demographic, we think the existence of a company like Morphoses sends a very positive message, a promise for the future of ballet.  Its mission strongly resonates with us as we also believe ballet can and should be made accessible to younger generations while staying true to its traditions, with no dumbing down of the art form. We only wish their seasons were longer (only 4 days in London) and that we could see more of Wheeldon’s work this side of the Atlantic.

Wheeldon's Morphoses in Commedia. Photo: Erin Baiano © Source: Danceviewtimes

Morphoses in a Nutshell

Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company was founded in 2007 by Christopher Wheeldon, previously NYCB’s resident choreographer, together with Lourdes Lopez, ex-NYCB Principal and Former Executive Director of The George Balanchine Foundation. The troupe attracts dancers from major companies in the world who appear at reduced fees. The repertory is a mix of modern classics and new pieces created by Wheeldon or by guest choreographers, in collaboration with innovative designers and composers, very much in the spirit of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes.

Originally Morphoses would function as a pickup company, hiring dancers on a season basis until Wheeldon had secured enough financial backup (around US$5 million) to have dancers on a fixed payroll, but the credit crunch  has forced the company to carry on with a small administrative staff of three and to remain at its donated Manhattan base for the present. Dancers continue to be recruited on a season-by-season basis while Wheeldon has kept working as a choreographer outside Morphoses, which allows him not only to continue staging big budget works for the major ballet companies, but also to bring in extra funds for his own Morphoses projects. His long term plan is to  be able to support a permanent troupe of 12 dancers alongside the regular guests.

Morphoses’s inaugural performance took place at the 2007 Vail International Dance Festival. After a heavy media build-up, this first appearance received mixed reviews from the American press. Some critics thought the ballets in the programmes looked too similar, with too many abstract ballets (including pieces by Forsythe and Edwaard Liang) and prominently featuring too many pas de deux, but they generally praised Wheeldon for elevating the artistry in his dancers (NYCB’s Wendy Whelan, often regarded as Wheeldon’s muse, was nominated for an Olivier Award) and for creating a rapport with the audience by coming onstage to introduce each piece with insightful commentary.

That same year Morphoses became a Guest Resident Company at New York City Center and at London’s Sadler’s Wells. Wheeldon was appointed as Associated Artist for Sadler’s Wells and the London season won a South Bank Show Award. Since then, Morphoses has also appeared at the Sydney Festival.

The Many Faces of Morphoses

Guest Dancers

Tyler Angle, Alexandra Ansanelli, Leanne Benjamin, Hélène Bouchet, Ashley Bouder, Darcey Bussell, Batkhurel Bold, Thiago Bordin, Alina Cojocaru, Jonathan Cope, Ángel Corella, Adrian Danchig-Waring, Jason Fowler, Gonzalo García, Marcelo Gomes, Craig Hall, Drew Jacoby, Johan Kobborg, Nehemiah Kish, Carla Körbes, Maria Kowroski, Edwaard Liang, Tiler Peck, Rubinald Pronk, Teresa Reichlen, Danielle Rowe, Beatriz Stix-Brunell, Michael Nunn, William Trevitt, Edward Watson, Miranda Weese, Wendy Whelan

Collaborators

Composers James MacMillan, Michael Nyman, Steve Reich and Bright Sheng; Artists/Set Designers James Buckhouse and Jean-Marc Puissant, Adrianne Lobel; Designers Francisco Costa, Narciso Rodriguez, Isabel & Ruben Toledo; Director Nicholas Hytner

Repertory

The inaugural programme presented in 2007 featured two new Wheeldon pieces – “Fool’s Paradise” and “Prokofiev Pas de Deux” – alongside his exisiting works “Mesmerics”, “After the Rain” and “Morphoses”. It also included William Forsythe’s “Slingerland”, Michael Clark’s “Satie Stud”, Liv Lorent’s “Propeller”, and Edwaard Liang’s “Vicissitude”.

The following year brought a mix of premieres led by Wheeldon’s “Commedia” (to Stravinsky’s Pulcinella Suite), Lightfoot León’s “Shutters Shut” (at City Center) and Emily Molnar’s “Six Fold Illuminate” presented together with classic works by Sir Frederick Ashton – The Dream Pas de Deux (in Vail) and Monotones II – Robbins’s “Other Dances” and Wheeldon pieces “Polyphonia” and Fool’s Paradise”.

This year Morphoses brings a host of new works to both its transatlantic headquarters. It also continues to collaborate with influential fashion designers Francisco Costa (Creative Director of Calvin Klein), Isabel and Ruben Toledo. Commemorating the Ballets Russes’ centenary, the first programme will  include Wheeldon’s “Commedia”, Ratmansky’s “Boléro” (to the eponymous Ravel piece) and a new work by Tim Harbour.  Two days later, a second programme brings “Softly as I Leave You”, originally choreographed by Paul Lightfoot and Sol León (resident choreographers of Nederlands Dans Theatre) for dancers Drew Jacoby and Rubinald Pronk, in addition to old and new Wheeldon: “Continuum” and  “Rhapsody Fantaisie”  (a world premiere set to Rachmaninoff’s suites for two pianos).

Extracts of Reviews and Selected Praise:

One of the wonderful things about Mr. Wheeldon’s work is that there are new discoveries to be made each time you watch it. Roslyn Sulcas at the NYTimes [link]

Morphoses does have a provisional air. For the moment it remains an assembly of dancers, albeit extraordinary ones, from other troupes, and Mr. Wheeldon hasn’t yet had the opportunity to develop a group of performers to his own ends. But he is a choreographer with an instinctive grasp of dancers and their abilities…To see major ballerinas like Ms. Benjamin and Wendy Whelan on the same program is reason enough to watch Morphoses. Roslyn Sulcas at the NYTimes [link]

Trained on Balanchine, most New York ballet critics absorb meaning and sense syntactically, because with Balanchine it’s the action between the notes–the syncopated rhythms–that shape the steps and their portent. With Wheeldon, the ballet’s color and emotion may be rooted in the score, but the organizing principle is visual. Apollinaire Scherr at Foot in Mouth / ArtsJournal [link]

Wheeldon has set his standards about as high as a new company could aim for. We can really look forward to what follows. Judith Mackrell at The Guardian [link]

It is an absolute pleasure to watch this group of top-rate dancers running through their paces in this way. With ages from the teens to the over-forties, in all shapes and heights, they are so full of personality and presence that they make this a most uplifting evening. Sarah Crompton at The Telegraph [link]

Sources and Further Information

1. Morphoses/The Wheeldon Company Website [link]
2. The Newcomer by Joan Acocella. The New Yorker [link]
3. Metamorphoses by Astrida Woods. Dance Magazine, October 2008.
4. Ballet without Borders by Peter Aspden. Financial Times, September 2008. [link]
5. The dancers are Young, Beautiful, Sexy and Smart by Valerie Lawson. The Sydney Morning Herald, November 2008. [link]
6. How to watch a Wheeldon ballet by Apollinaire Scherr. Foot in Mouth at ArtsJournal, October 2008. [link]
7. Risky Business by Gia Kourlas. Time Out New York, October 2007 [link]

Galeria SFERA to nowoczesny, wielofunkcyjny, śródmiejski obiekt, na stałe wpisany w stylową architekturę Bielska-Białej. Miejski deptak otoczony fasadami sklepów przypominającymi charakterem budynki przemysłowe z przełomu XIX i XX wieku, to ulubione miejsce nie tylko zakupów, ale również spotkań i spacerów mieszkańców. Niezwykle klimatyczny i przyjazny obiekt Galerii SFERA zapada w pamięci wszystkim Gościom, przyjeżdżającym także z zagranicy. Atrakcyjne położenie Galerii SFERA w centrum stolicy Podbeskidzia oraz łatwy dojazd sprawia, że Galeria SFERA cieszy się ogromną popularnością i sympatią, a codziennie gości tu od kilkunastu do kilkudziesięciu tysięcy Klientów.

Bogata oferta Galerii SFERA obejmuje sklepy, gastronomię, rozrywkę oraz usługi.

Część handlowo-usługową stanowi ponad 120 sklepów znanych polskich i zagranicznych marek.

Oferta rozrywkowa obejmuje: 11 restauracji i kawiarni, nowoczesne kino KINOPLEX z 7 salami, klub KLIMAT z dyskoteką oraz kręgielnią i pubem, miejsce zabaw DŻUNGLA dla dzieci oraz Galerię Sztuki FRAKTAL.

W części biurowej znajdują się m.in. siedziby firm oraz usługi uzupełniające ofertę Galerii SFERA.

Do dyspozycji Klientów pozostaje bezpłatny parking na ok. 800 miejsc. Cały obiekt wyposażony jest w udogodnienia dla osób niepełnosprawnych oraz klimatyzację.

Church & Co, the English footwear brand which is owned by Prada has launched its new web site.

Church & Co.

The site is classically designed with a touch of elegance and class as you would expect from a company owned by the Prada Group.   Currently selling to over 17 countries, the web site is sure to be a great success.

Church’s & Co have a great range stocked online for both men and women and offer a complete line of accessories.  There site is really easy to navigate initially but buying a product proved a little more confusing, especially when selecting the size I needed.

Overall a good site, which just needs a few minor changes.

Claude Debussy napisał tylko jeden kwartet smyczkowy, za to powszechnie lubiany. Pochodzi z roku 1893 i ma wszystkie fajne cechy typowe dla muzyki Debussy’ego: trochę nie z tego świata, inny niż wszystkie inne dzieła gatunku, a do tego ładny. Jedyne, co w nim wkurza, to beztroskie traktowanie przez kompozytora melodii. Kiedy pojawia się jakaś wyjątkowo ładna, to usłyszymy ją tylko raz. Najbardziej okrutnym tego przykładem jest trzecia część kwartetu, gdzie po pięciu minutach i kilku nieśmiałych podejściach, w końcu rozwija się najbardziej niebiańska melodia, jaką można sobie wyobrazić. No i Debussy, świnia jedna, już do niej nie wraca.

Oto ta trzecia część, Andantino, doucement expressif:

Kwartet smyczkowy Debussy’ego doskonale pasuje, ze względu na epokę, do fantazjowania, że siedzimy sobie gdzieś w Paryżu przy absyncie, a nastrój mamy dekadencki, cokolwiek to znaczy. Dość dobrze nadaje się do tego też nieco późniejszy Kwartet smyczkowy Ravela, na który łatwo trafić, bo zwykle jest na tej samej płycie, co kwartet Debussy’ego.

Tu można posłuchać archiwalnego nagrania całego kwartetu.

Every woman and man will find themselves in a position where they want to dress with a twist of classic tailoring at some stage in the season.  With classic fabrics on almost every door the one thing people often forget is the classic Brogue.  Both men and women love this style of shoe, it offers a touch of elegance, is great to make  a statement with and will last for years if treated like a baby.

The classic brogue makes a statement, it says stylish, contemporary, trendy and most importantly quality.   This season many of the leading footwear brands have made some beautiful brogues and for the ladies brogues with heels.

These are just a few of the great brogues available this season, but lets not forget the spin off’s, the patent ladies brogues, in pinks and blacks as well as the traditional reds.  A brogue is a brogue and can be worn with almost anything.  Treat your shoe collection to a classical treat.