Incorporating rituals to the sounds of Ravel and Stravinsky
Exactly 100 years ago, Maurice Ravel's La Valse had its scenic world premiere at the then Ballet of the Royal Flemish Opera in Antwerp. This milestone could not go unrecognised. That is why we asked the Algerian-French choreographer Nacera Belaza to create a solo based on it. Belaza's work is known for its ritual character, with an intense interplay between light and darkness. La Valse is flanked in Rites by two musical and choreographic icons. Choreographer Shahar Binyamini opens the triptych with his Bolero X. Binyamini doubles the size of the OBV company with extra dancers. In this way he brings his overwhelming and at the same time poetic interpretation of Ravel's enchanting score to life. We conclude with Stravinsky's Le Sacre du printemps, one of the most iconic rituals ever performed on stage. Pina Bausch created a milestone in dance history with her legendary version of the famous Spring Sacrifice. Barbara Kaufmann, former dancer of the Tanztheater Wuppertal, leads the rehearsals with the dancers of OBV.
BOLERO X: In collaboration with the Royal Ballet School Antwerp and Junior Ballet Antwerp.
LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS: A co-production of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen and the Pina Bausch Foundation in collaboration with the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.
Le Sacre du printemps contains a short moment of nudity. Read more about our content warnings here.
With the support of the Tax Shelter measure of the Belgian Federal Government.
The creators
Bolero X
Shahar Binyamini
Choreography
Maurice Ravel
Composer
Shahar Binyamini
Set design, costume design and light design
Dansers Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, in collaboration with KBA and JBA
Dance
La Valse
Nacera Belaza
Choreography
Maurice Ravel
Composer
Dalila Belaza
Choreographic assistant
Éric Soyer
Lighting design
