Beyond the six pieces Maurice Ravel composed for ballet, his entire body of work is an inexhaustible source of choreographic inspiration, no doubt linked to the spatial potential inherent in his genius for orchestration. Written in the aftermath of the First World War, La Valse is intended as a dissolution into “a fantastical and fatal whirlwind” of the Viennese waltz and the world it embodies. In keeping with this idea, George Balanchine’s 1951 choreography blends apparent cheerfulness with a touch of romantic torment. In a completely different vein, Jerome Robbins adapted Ravel’s Concerto in G for piano in 1975, a work composed by Ravel upon his return from a tour of the United States where he discovered jazz. Framed by two movements with musical-theatre overtones, a duo of great grace magnifies the classical vocabulary. Finally, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui and Damien Jalet conclude the programme with a fascinating Boléro, a maelstrom of movements electrified by Marina Abramović’s set design and Riccardo Tisci’s costumes.
The Étoiles, Les Premiers Danseurs and le Corps de Ballet
Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Paris
Musical direction Maxime Pascal
En sol
Choreography Jerome Robbins
Piano Frank Braley
Set and costume design Erté
Lighting Jennifer Tipton
La Valse
Choreography George Balanchine
Set design Jean Rosenthal
Costumes Karinska
Boléro
Choreography Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet
Concept Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Damien Jalet, Marina Abramović
Set design Marina Abramović
Costumes Riccardo Tisci
Lighting Urs Schönebaum
Picture © Laurent Philippe / OnP
