For Le French May, the Hong Kong Ballet's Artistic Director John Meehan creates the programme Tricolor - red, white and blue - three 20th century masterpieces all new to the repertoire of the Company. The progamme also features the famous classical excerpt White Swan Pas de Deux from Swan Lake.
Red is for Rubies. Inspired by Claude Arpel's luminous jewellery, George Balanchine's high energy, neo-classical ballet Rubies is filled with sparkling and jazzy choreography with a truly spontaneous quality.
White is for Suite en Blanc and White Swan Pas de Deux from Swan Lake. While Serge Lifar's brilliant ballet is a showcase for the whole company with its purity of style and dazzling technique, White Swan Pas de Deux displays the supreme artistic qualities of two leading dancers.
Blue is for the flowers in Antony Tudor's intense Jardin aux Lilas. Young lovers steal their last, furtive goodbyes in a garden redolent with the scent of lilacs and unfulfilled longings.
The Company is thrilled to welcome two international ballet stars Tan Yuan Yuan and Sofiane Sylve who are going to captivate Hong Kong audience with their dazzling performance. Born in Shanghai, Tan Yuan Yuan's extraordinary talent emerged at the age of 21 when she became principal dancer at San Francisco Ballet after just two years of joining them. She is currently one of the top and most critically acclaimed ballerinas to emerge from China. Tan will dance with the Hong Kong Ballet for the first time ever as a Guest Principal Dancer.
A French-born dancer, Sofiane Sylve returns to the Hong Kong stage with her renowned virtuosity in Tricolor after her first radiant performance in the Company's production Momentum in November 2007. Sofiane was first soloist for the Dutch National Ballet and joined New York City Ballet as Principal Dancer in 2003. Her unusual speed, strength and power will drive the audience into a frenzy of excitement.
Hong Kong Sinfonietta will join forces with the Hong Kong Ballet to accompany the production under the baton of Emil de Cou. Former Balanchine dancer - Sandra Jennings; former lead dancer trained by Antony Tudor - Donald Mahler; former Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet - Maina Gielgud and Ballet Master of Singapore Dance Theatre - Paul DeMasson, will come to Hong Kong as répétiteurs to stage the three master works for the Company.
Rubies (Choreography: George Balanchine)
"Balanchine takes pleasure in parodying exaggerated movements, extreme postures, turning classical positions into acrobatics."
- Robert Garis on Rubies
Inspired by New York jewellery designer Claude Arpels and by his obsession for beautiful dancers, George Balanchine created his precious Rubies with its vigorous and jazzy style as part of his much admired three-act ballet Jewels.
Rubies is a treasure of humour, inventiveness and whimsy, paying a homage to both the United States, which welcomed Balanchine and made him a citizen in 1939, as well as to the art form for which his adoptive country has a particular flair: musical. Set against Igor Stravinsky's Capricco for Piano and Orchestra, the highly energetic steps and ruby-red costumes luminously symbolise this precious and glistening red stone. This sparkling gem shows off beautifully the extraordinary talent of this 20th Century genius who so cleverly bridged the gap between classical and modern ballet.
Suite en Blanc (Choreography: Serge Lifar) &
White Swan Pas de Deux (Choreography: Marius Petipa)
"It (Suite en Blanc) bears all the hallmarks of the Lifarian style: dancers working in parallel formation; feet placed in Lifar's own applied sixth and seventh positions; arabesque delie; sharply held bodies; brilliant use of beaten steps."
- Clement Crisp & Peter Brinson
Choreographed by Serge Lifar for the Paris Opera Ballet in 1943, Suite en Blanc is a timeless tour de force which played a significant role in 20th century dance. Lifar's fervent belief that technique and choreography were central to any ballet is exhibited by this rarely performed ballet based purely round the intricacy of its complicated and challenging neo-classical steps.
As a perfect accompaniment, Lifar chose to set this piece to a selection of music from Edouard Lalo's inspirational score from the two-act ballet Namouna, first presented in Paris in 1882. It provides a fine inspiration for what he described as a parade of stars - big duet, solos, trios and larger groupings to stretch the talents of several ballerinas and leading men.
To complement Suite en Blanc and to further enhance the theme of White the Company present White Swan Pas De Deux taken from the much loved Act II of Swan Lake. In this excerpt the beautiful Swan Queen and Prince Siegfried are united in one of the most renowned pieces in ballet history as they dance to Tchaikovsky's haunting and powerful score.
Jardin aux Lilas (Choreography:Antony Tudor)
"The interplay of feelings between these characters was revealed in beautiful dance movements and groupings, with subtle changes of expression... It could be called a 'ballet psychologique'"
- Dame Marie Rambert, Founder of Rambert Dance Company
Antony Tudor's absorbing and passionately romantic Jardin aux Lilas completes this sumptuous programme and celebrates the British choreographer's Centennial.
One of the leading choreographers in ballet during the 20th century, Antony Tudor is considered the most lyrical and emotionally powerful of modern ballet masters, acclaimed for his imaginative use of music and his commitment to dramatic plot. Comparable in achievement to George Balanchine and Frederick Ashton, Tudor created over sixty ballets, including his masterpiece Jardin aux Lilas which premièred in 1936.
Best known for his captivating character portrayal, Tudor takes us on a heart wrenching and tragic journey of two couples restrained by the Victorian society they live in. Their entangled relationships and deep emotions of unrequited love are conveyed through dreamy and delicate movements in soft shades of blue. Ernest Chausson's music is the perfect accompaniment to this haunting tale of repressed and forbidden love.
For media enquiries, rehearsal visit and interviews, please contact Ms. Cheung at 2105 9722 or Ms. Wong at 2105 9712.
Programme details
13-15.6.2008 (7:30pm)
$1000(VIP), 600, 400, 260, 180
14-15.6.2008 (2:30pm)
$800 (VIP), 480, 320, 220, 150
Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural Centre
Tickets available NOW at all URBTIX Outlets
- Reservations
- 2734 9009 / www.urbtix.hk
- Programme Enquiries
- 2105 9724 / marketing@hkballet.com
For age 6 or above
