2015年5月アーカイブ

Heart-Stopping Emotion

The Stuttgart Ballet, renowned for its performances of choreographer John Cranko's dramatic ballets, will visit Japan for the first time in three years, marking its tenth trip to Japan.

John Cranko was a genius at telling the stories of longer literary works through the wordless medium of dance and at clearly portraying the personalities and psychological traits of the characters. With legendary breakthrough works that earned his collaboration with the Stuttgart Ballet the nickname of "the Miracle of Stuttgart," he brought the company into the ranks of the world's first-class ballet troupes. Even in the years since Cranko's death, his innovative creativity has become part of the company's legacy and has built for it a unique position in the world of ballet.

Both ballets that will be performed during this tour, Romeo and Juliet and Onegin, are masterpieces that Cranko created based on long works that are part of humanity's literary heritage. Both excerpts and full productions of these works have been seen in Japan on numerous occasions, and they have a reputation among ballet fans for arousing the full range of human emotions. In addition, a one-time gala performance, "The Miracle of Stuttgart," will give audiences in Japan a unique opportunity to see the company as it is today in a program that ranges from Cranko's shorter pieces to contemporary works.

The Stuttgart Ballet has been a multinational troupe since Cranko's time, and it continues that tradition today by recruiting the finest dancers from around the world, who all share an uncommon ability to portray characters. We are certain that seeing these dance-dramas performed by artists with exquisite acting ability will be an unforgettable emotional experience for you.

Photo:Kiyonori Hasegawa

A Twentieth-Century Master of Choreography Who Created the Dramatic Ballet

Photo:Hannes Kilia

In 1961, John Cranko, a young choreographer associated with Britain's Royal Ballet, was invited to assume the post of artistic director of the Stuttgart Ballet. In Britain, this spirited choreographer had won a following with his wonderfully witty and varied works, and he had enjoyed major successes with the musical revues he had put together. In his new environment, he conducted auditions, assembled a wide range of superb dancers, and then threw himself into creating new works for them. While Romeo and Juliet was a richly textured portrayal of young lovers, his Swan Lake interpreted a classic in new ways. After creating Onegin, based on Alexander Pushkin's masterpiece, he then applied his bold imagination and eloquent dance vocabulary to Shakespeare's comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Cranko's productions, which vividly portrayed the personalities, psychological traits, and even the conversations of characters, aroused the audience's sympathies and emotions.

In 1969, the Stuttgart Ballet spent three weeks performing in New York, which was then regarded as the center of dance. The company's historic success on that tour gave it a new nickname, "The Miracle of Stuttgart."

With its free and exhilarating creative atmosphere, the Stuttgart Ballet also trained many of the next generation of young choreographers, including John Neumaier, Jiri Kylián, and William Forsythe. Having been trained by Cranko, they ended up generating new artistic currents in twentieth-century ballet.

Cranko died suddenly in 1973, at the age of 45, on his way back from the Stuttgart Ballet's second New York engagement. His premature passing sent shockwaves throughout the dance world. However, he left a firm foundation for the remaining group of artists, and they have carried on his tradition with a sense of conviction.

The Ultimate Ballet Version of Romeo and Juliet

Photo：Stuttgarter Ballett

Of all the versions of Romeo and Juliet, John Cranko's is the most popular for its vivid portrayal of the main characters' passions. Jürgen Rose's detailed and beautiful costumes and artwork and the fresh and innovative pas de deux and other choreography, all devised to match Prokofiev's exciting score perfectly, have ensured that this production remains as brilliantly impressive as ever, half a century after its premiere.

John Cranko was only in his early thirties when he choreographed this work for the Stuttgart Ballet in 1962, the second year of his tenure as the company's artistic director. The work received widespread acclaim from its first performance, and it was a major factor in the success of the ballet company that came to be known as "The Miracle of Stuttgart."

Although the ballet is based on Shakespeare's drama, perhaps the world's best-known love story, the leisurely way in which the story unfolds--without the least bit of unnecessary action or anxiety--and the clearly distinct flavor of the dancing in each scene show us what an unusual and peerless master of the story ballet Cranko was. This can be seen not only in such emotionally evocative passages as the balcony scene pas de deux, in which the two leads express the exhilaration of love, and the pas de deux that portrays the sad wistfulness of parting, but also in the stately and magnificent staging of the ball at the Capulets' house and the vibrant and acrobatic dance sequences in the carnival scene. These scenes leave the audience with lasting memories of the company's ensemble work. The portrayals of Tybalt, Juliet's parents, and other secondary roles help us share in Cranko's superb empathy for the characters and make the ballet even more appealing.

Text: Hiroko Shindo

A Wondrous and Dramatic Ballet, Praised Throughout the World

Photo：Stuttgarter Ballett

It is fair to say that Onegin holds a special place among John Cranko's many full-length masterpieces. The world's finest ballet companies include this well-loved work in their repertoires, and the most brilliantly successful dancers hope to have the opportunity to perform in it some day.

The source is a verse novel by the Russian nationalist poet Alexander Pushkin. The music is taken from the works of Tchaikovsky, edited with expert sensibility by Kurt-Heinz Stolze. Cranko's choreography is both natural and edgy. We first see the main character, Tatiana, dozing over a book in the garden of Madame Larina, but the audience is able to perceive her character at a single glance. Similarly, Onegin--dressed entirely in black--assumes a languid posture at his first appearance that gives the audience a sense of his unconventional nature and raises expectations for the story that follows.

The ballet provides many visual wonders, such as the frolicking peasant dances, the tragedy that befalls the poet Lensky, and the glamorous ball at Prince Gremin's estate, but the highlights are two contrasting pas de deux. The one in the first act, commonly referred to as "the Mirror Pas de Deux," has Tatiana herself portraying Onegin as she imagines him in a dazzling depiction of love. Then, the final act--in which Onegin confesses his love for Tatiana, who is now the elegant wife of a nobleman--features a pas de deux that brims over with helpless anguish. This sequence condenses intense passion and separation into a brief dance duet. It will also be featured as one of the pieces in the gala concert.

Text: Hiroko Shindo

"The Miracle of Stuttgart," a Gala Performance　

The Stuttgart Ballet has prepared an evening of young choreographers' works under the auspices of the Noverre Society, a venue for developing new talent. Ever since the founding of the Stuttgart Ballet, the Noverre Society has fostered the careers of many renowned choreographers, including John Neumaier, Jiri Kylián, and William Forsythe. This tradition, which helped propel Stuttgart into a major wellspring of twentieth-century ballet, is another aspect of "The Miracle of Stuttgart."

This gala performance includes four short ballets by the Society's founder, John Cranko, along with works by current resident choreographers Marco Goecke and Demis Volpi. In addition, the entire company will perform pieces by Itzik Gallili, Edward Klug, and other successful choreographers whose works are already familiar to Japanese audiences. This will be a "miraculous" evening that only the Stuttgart Ballet can bring together.

program

★ Piano accompaniment
※ The order of the program is subject to change.
※ The program pieces and performers are as of April 17, 2015. Please be aware that either may change due to circumstances within the company, injuries to dancers, or other factors.

Photos:Stuttgarter Ballett

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