4: “Pastor / León & Lightfoot / Bondara” – A story of building relationships and pushing boundaries expressed through movement. Four outstanding choreographers. Four dimensions of contemporary dance complemented by the music of Schnittke, Górecki, Schubert, Ravel, and the poetry of Gertrude Stein, performed by the Ballet and Orchestra of the Grand Theatre of Stanisław Moniuszko under the direction of Marta Kluczyńska. Passion-filled performances will take place on February 13 and 14, 2025, at 19:00 in Poznań.
The first part of this journey into the contemporary world is Moving Rooms – a choreography created by Krzysztof Pastor for Dutch National Ballet, which has conquered many dance stages in the United States, the Czech Republic, Finland, China, and Lithuania. The stories of emotions enclosed in space are accompanied by Alfred Schnittke’s Concerto grosso and Henryk Mikołaj Górecki’s Concerto for Harpsichord and String Orchestra Op. 40. The suggestiveness and dynamism of the choreography emphasize that it is only through action that a person can influence the world.
Shutters Shut – a choreography by Sola León and Paul Lightfoot, one of the leading choreographic duos of our time – is based on Gertrude Stein's poem If I told him: A completed portrait of Picasso, read by the author herself. The choreographic concept adapts to the meter of the poem as it is read, but also complements the poetry through precise synchronous movement and the language of mime. It reflects the decades-long intertextual dialogue between the artist and Pablo Picasso.
The second ballet of this choreographic duo, Subject to Change, will be accompanied by Franz Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 "Death and the Maiden". The ballet reminds us that dramatic reality often diverges from expectations, corrects plans, and therefore we must be ready for change. Through art, thanks to the power of dance, the choreographers provoke us to seek answers to the most difficult questions.
The final part of the performance will feature Robert Bondara’s attempt to grapple with Ravel’s most recognizable composition. In the unusual structure of Boléro, with its persistently repeated theme and characteristic rhythm, the chief choreographer of the Pegasus Theatre has found the source of innovative and diverse choreographic variations, drawing on Spanish folklore and jazz influences.
Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC
Ticket information: https://opera.poznan.pl/
