Stravinsky evening at Staatsballett Berlin Premiere on June 10, 2023

[Sabine0308]

Staatsballett Berlin encounters Stravinsky
Staatsballett Berlin’s designated new Artistic Director Christian Spuck headlines his foreword to the new season 2023/24 with the words:

Rethinking Ballet and dance

The focus for next season is clearly on less classical, more neoclasssical and contemporary dance.

As a bridge between the past and this promising new chapter for the company,  Staatsballett Berlin (SBB) presented the long awaited production of a „Stravinsky“-Ballet evening. I was lucky to catch a ticket for the sold-out Premiere.

First piece of the evening was Petrushka by Marco Goecke, created in 2016 for Ballet Zurich. Ballet lovers surely know the story behind, and Goecke certainly leans on the original story. However, his focus is more on the mental state of Petrushka alone, rather  than on the fight between Petrushka and the „Rival“ (as this role was called here) over the  Ballerina. Goecke’s focus is on Petrushka’s outsider status.

Marco Goecke’s unique dance language is  a „love-it –or -hate-it“ art, in my opinion. I am always fascinated by his work, where „the story behind“ is something that should not be forgotten, but put aside. How to translate intense feelings? Via intense, weird, rapid, vibrating movements maybe, that is his way to work. Here in Petrushka, the fluttering movements play around the stage as a symbol for Petrushka’s happysad character. Alexandre Cagnat did an impressive job in the title role. At times, I even saw a kind of Charlie Chaplin moves. Maybe Goecke also had in mind that the original Petrushka in the Ballet Russe version, Vaslav Nijinsky, also had mental troubles and that his intention to develop a modern dance language was often misunderstood.

The dancers impersonating other people on the vanity fair, like couples, the charlatan, rival and the ballerina, didn’t make a big impact on me. Of course they were neccessary for the story. We saw a precise dancing by David Soares as the Rival, Alizee Sicre as the doll-like Ballerina and Federico Spallita as a very convincing charlatan.

In the end, how I see it, Petrushka looses his soul and returns to the stage as a ghost puppet, no longer able to communicate with feelings as a „person“. As a symbol, he rapidly opens and closes a wooden mouth. It was heartbreaking.

During the intermission, it was very interesting to see how the stage was prepared for Pina Bausch’s „Rite of Spring“. The floor was covered with fresh turf from the North of Germany.

Then, the lights went down and – the Rite of Spring began.

I mus admit I have difficulties to describe with words what I saw. The story is well-known, so I spare the details here. But HOW Pina Bausch brought this ancient rite on stage, is literally breathtaking, for dancers AND for the audience. It leaves you speechless. A belief in the rite of spring, so deeply routed in the group that they follow this rite with all brutality, violence and ultimative dedication til death. I can just share the most impressive moments:

The group of women, trembling with fear to be the Chosen One. The melting of bodies with the soil and thus with the spirit of earth. The merciless dragging of the Chosen One (Clotilde Tran) across the stage. Her giving-in, her dance, half concious half unconcious, til death. It was disturbing, heartbreaking. Especially because this topic of violence against women is still so up-to-date (on several levels across the globe, of course) although the piece is almost 50 years old.

A standing ovation from first curtain call is rare in Berlin. But there was no question, the audience jumped from their seats. A BIG HEARTFELT BRAVO TO ALL DANCERS. Side note: this is an ensemble piece. The Chosen One has the final solo, sure, but I cannot say less about the other dancers. Among them Polina Semionova (Principal), or Alexei Orlenco, Arshak Galumyan (First Soloists). It really didn’t matter.

I left the theatre unable to speak or collect my thoughts, and walked a bit aimless, not in direct route, back home.

A MASTERPIECE.

Christiane Theobald, the leaving interim AD, had worked for a long time to get the rights from the Pina Bausch foundation for this piece for StaatsballettBerlin. I am beyond grateful that finally, she was successful.

Sadly, and that’s really a very sad fact, both pieces are not part of the new season 2023/24.

All performances are sold out.

[Jan McNulty]

Thanks for your report Sabine.  What a fabulous evening it must have been!

[Vanartus]

…will see the final show on June 24 - thank heavens I booked early!

[Sabine0308]

49 minutes ago, Vanartus said:

…will see the final show on June 24 - thank heavens I booked early!

Good!! I think there are still some Tickets available at the evening Box Office or online on the day of performance (that'show I got mine), but actually it's too risky to rely on that. ENJOY!!

[LACAD]

Very excited to see this bill as I happen to be in Berlin this week, will report back.

[Sabine0308]

12 hours ago, LACAD said:

Very excited to see this bill as I happen to be in Berlin this week, will report back.

Enjoy!!

[LACAD]

I’m back from an intense night at the gorgeous Staatsoper Unter der Linden.

 

Marco Goecke’s Petruschka distils the angst of the storyline into his typical distorted and lightning quick manipulations of the dancers. Elisa Carrillo Cabrera particularly stands out as one of the villagers — if you can call them that, everyone is in a uniform pair of black pants with (or without) a flesh coloured top. Alexandre Cagnat was also very articulate in the lead role. I do feel I would’ve gotten more from this work had it been done in an intimate space. There’s a lot of small movements, detailed facial expressions, scenes with small props, and even though I was only in the first circle, I felt I was quite far from the action. Perhaps Goecke isn’t the best for a grand opera house? I’ll have to see more of his work live before I judge. 

 

Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring was, of course, as much of a masterpiece tonight as ever. I’m afraid I don’t know who the chosen one was tonight as I’m not very familiar with the dancers of the company (she had her dark hair braided if anyone might know who she is), and she was up there with ENB’s Francesca Velicu’s Olivier winning performance as far as interpretation of the role goes. Interestingly — as with Carrillo Cabrera — Polina Semionova was among the ensemble of dancers in this work rather than as a distinct soloist. And while I was naturally tempted to keep my eyes on her when I could (I’ve never seen her live), I felt that defeated the tribal spirit of the piece and looked around the dirt. And there were some magnificent dancers in there, including one incredibly agile Babacar Mané (appearing as a guest dancer). 
 

This is my first encounter with this brilliant company, and I sincerely hope I cross their path more!

[Sabine0308]

@LACAD thanks for sharing your thoughts. I feel it was certainly a very tempting, but not the smartest idea to put this Goecke piece against Pina Bausch’s Rite of Spring. It simply looked "pale" in contrary to the so vivid, agitating Rite. In Berlin, I've seen his "Pierrot Lunaire" (not a fan here) and "All long dem day" for the State Ballet School. The latter was VERY impressive, the choreo just fit like a glove to Nina Simone's Song. Great solo and corps parts. In Munich, I saw his "Sweet bones' melody", I posted about it somewhere here, and this absolutely worked also on a big stage.

 

Oh and yes, Staatsoper Berlin is a beauty. Come back often🙂

[Angela]

I guess the Ballets Russes origin of both pieces was the reason to combine the two ballets. Honestly, name a piece that would not look pale against Bausch's Sacre 🤔