On 19 April 2024, 18:00, the Kyiv Modern Ballet Academic Theatre will present an evening of contemporary choreography to music by P. Vasks at the Kyiv Opera House in Podil, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
The first part: ballet in one act “UNDERGROUND” to the music of P. Vasks. The second section: the premiere of FRIENDS, a one-act ballet to music by P. Vasks.
Both ballets are choreographed by Radu Poklitaru, Chief Choreographer of the Kyiv Modern Ballet Academic Theatre, Honoured Artist of Ukraine.
ABOUT THE BALLETS:
First performance. Ballet in one act “UNDERGROUND” to music by P. Vasks. When creating UNDERGROUND in 2008, Radu Poklitaru took Jean Paul Sartre’s phrase “Hell is the other” as a basis, which became the source not only of the idea but also of the depth of feelings that formed the basis of this ballet.
However, this ballet is not about the biblical hell. It is a story about people driven into the Underground by the war. In the closed space where they are forced to stay together, their emotions reach extraordinary peaks: love intersects with hatred, joy mixes with despair.
There, every moment leaves them wondering if they will ever be able to return to the surface! And that’s why their “now” is so much more important than their “later”.
The second section. The premiere of FRIENDS, a one-act ballet with music by P. Vasks. It took sixteen years for the choreographer Radu Poklitaru to decide to touch the work of the composer Peteris Vasks again, but this time he chose his second cello concerto.
The sound of the cello, with its low and deep tones, vividly emphasises the mood of the new production.
FRIENDS is based on a story that is imbued not only with the sad present of war, but also with moments of light in life – love, friendship, warmth, jealousy, despair, mysterious touches, flickering hope and all the things that make up life.
Four people – two women and two men (Anastasia Baird, Alexey Busko, Ekaterina Kurman, Alexander Pavluchenko) will live the stunning music of Peteris Vasks in dance as sincerely as the distance between the stage and the audience, between the space of theatrical existence and everyday life, will allow them.
Radu Poklitaru on the premiere of the ballet FRIENDS:
“For too long… For too long there was a pause in my dance romance with the music of Peteris Vasks. Back in 2008, I premiered the ballet Underground to the music of his brilliant violin concerto. 16 years later, I decided to touch Vasks’ work again – this time with his cello concerto. The low and deep sound of the cello will emphasise these years that have passed unnoticed, in which I have grown older, which have brought so much to my life. And it is not only the horrors of war, but also myriads of bright moments of love, friendship, warmth, jealousy, despair, secret touches, flickering hope and everything that made up my life. And I will try to share all of this with the performers of the new ballet, Friends. Four people – two women and two men – will live the stunning music of Peteris Vasks in dance as sincerely as the distance between the stage and the auditorium, between the space of theatrical existence and everyday life, will allow them to do so.
This is my gift to Peteris on his birthday. With a sinking heart and more than ever, I will be waiting for the last seconds of the ballet to see if I have met the Maestro’s expectations and if I have been able to find the semantic accents in his concert in my own way.
Happy birthday,dear Genius! ”
Thepremiere of the ballet “Friends” will be presented for the first time on 13 April as part of the festival “PETERIS VAKS’ APRIL MUSIC” in the Cēsis Concert Hall (PĒTERA VASKA MŪZIKAS APRĪLIS. Koncertzāle “Cēsis”/Cēsis Concert Hall).
In Kyiv, the performance will be shown for the first time on 19 April in the programme: an evening of contemporary choreography to the music of P. Vasks: Underground and the premiere of Friends at the Kyiv Opera House in Podil. The second performance of the ballet evening will take place on 27 June, 18:30, at the Kyiv Opera House in Podil.