Streamed online
April 30, 2020
David Mead
Italian choreographer and former Béjart Ballet dancer Giorgio Madia’s Swan Song is a ballet inspired by Maurice Béjart’s artistic legacy; a tribute to the master choreographer but one that references his ethos and beliefs rather than any specific dances. It’s also a perfect vehicle for the present artistic director Gil Roman.
Often accompanied by recordings of Béjart talking about the meaning of art and its relationship with the music, Roman takes the lead role, linking and representing past present and future. Madia describes him as an interpreter performing the choreographic concept, his own biographical filter, and as himself, Béjart’s one-time muse who now carries the company and who is responsible for its heritage and new creations. In a work that is very much a collage of thoughts and ideas, he is the thread that links it all together. And what stage presence he has. It comes across strongly, even on film. It’s a collage of music too.
Madia muses on the influence of Béjart, and indeed on those that influenced him. It opens with Roman alone, playing beautifully with Mikki-Mait Kivi’s lighting effects to music by JS Bach. A virtual ball is held, juggled and tossed; and sprays of digital light appear with the sweep of an arm. For me, the best moments come when Roman finds himself in what looks like an ocean, and then, poignantly, when he is accompanied by a ghostly figure formed of energy matter. The master, perhaps?
Photo BBL/GM Presse
Roman may be thoughtful but what really shines through in Swan Song is the sheer vitality of the dance. Dancers tap dance in pointe shoes while others clap out a rhythm. There’s a moment when they line up in a semi-circle around Roman that could come straight from a Hollywood musical (actually, Top Hat came to mind). Roman too turns on the sharp and energetic dance in a solo to music by Oscar Peterson. When the corps join in, it’s as bright, light and upbeat as any cabaret.
Swan Song is a ride where you never know what’s coming next. It’s certainly no swansong in the sense of a final performance before retirement or death. Rather it’s a celebration; a sketch of Béjart’s artistic heritage, forward looking and run through with the ethos of creativity and invention.
Less thought provoking but just as much fun to watch is Éclats (Fragments) by current Béjart Ballet ballet-master Julio Arozarena. A slow, deep start soon leads into an often bright and breezy ballet. The dance just bursts forth; and it’s difficult for it not to when it’s such super music: three Bachianas Brasileiras by Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos interspersed with movements from Vivaldi concerti for strings.
Effervescent corps sections mix with juicy duets. There are plenty of make you smile moments too, many subtle, but one very much less so: a man dressed in a ginormous crinoline affair supported by six women on pointe that work together give him a dozen bouerré-ing feet. It vaguely reminded me of that dreadful Mother Gigogne character that crops up in American Nutcrackers in particular, but here, and probably thanks to that poinetwork, it works a treat.
Swan Song and Éclats have now finished streaming.
Next up in Béjart Ballet Lausanne’s BBL at Home season is Maurice Béjart’s Piaf, from May 7 to 10. Visit www.bejart.ch for details.
See also SeeingDance’s preview of the season.