Movements in verse

In early 2007, before Stuttgart Ballet’s last visit to Bangkok, I asked artistic director Reid Anderson what he would like to bring to Bangkok next. “I’d like to do Cranko’s ‘Taming of the Shrew’, because it’s a completely different ballet from ‘Romeo’ [seen here on their first visit]. Also, his ‘Onegin’ is absolutely extraordinary, and would look really good here at the Thailand Cultural Centre,” he replied, adding, “on the other hand, we have a drop-dead version of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ from Marcia Haydee.”

A long seven years later and finally the troupe is back with “Onegin”. “First and foremost, ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is our signature work but ‘Onegin’ is John Cranko’s finest masterpiece,” Anderson explains. “The choreography is classically based but at the same time modern because Cranko tells the story entirely without the pantomime we see in such ballets as ‘Swan Lake’ or ‘Giselle’.

“Also the emotions of the five main characters are utterly believable for today’s audiences, even for young people. Who amongst us has never experienced unrequited love, rejection or burning jealousy? Which of us has never been faced with hard decisions in which our hearts battle with our minds?”

As to why Cranko’s “Onegin” is, in his words, “extraordinary”, Anderson says, “From today’s standpoint – almost 50 years after ‘Onegin’ was created in 1965 – I think it’s safe to say that it has become a 20th-century classic. Not only the Royal Ballet but also the Paris Opera Ballet, the Bolshoi Ballet and American Ballet – to name just a few prestigious companies – have Cranko’s ‘Onegin’ in their active repertory today.” 

“One reason is that it has all the ingredients needed for a classic: a dramatic plot – which Cranko made completely understandable; a love story; believable characters who experience believable events; majestic and evocative music by Tchaikovsky and spectacular sets and costumes by Juergen Rose. Until recently, Cranko was the only choreographer to have created a ballet out of Pushkin’s famous verse-novel. Interestingly enough, in the last 18 months, several other choreographers have tried their hands at the story.”

Also, for audiences here who have watched Stuttgart Ballet perform “Romeo and Juliet”, and the modern quadruple bill by Bigonzetti, Galili, Lightfoot and Leon and Scholz on their first two visits, Anderson believes “Onegin” will fit very well because “it provides a wonderful and welcome showcase for our entire company”. 

“Cranko’s choreography – which was way ahead of its time in terms of partnering – is still a challenge for today’s dancers. Wherever I go in the world to teach ‘Onegin’– and to really great dancers – the first thing they say after learning the two big pas de deux is ‘Oh my God, this is so hard; he made this 50 years ago?’. Then there are three big scenes for the corps de ballet which are not just decorative. So, the whole company gets to shine, which is our goal when we tour the world.”

 Artistic director of Stuttgart Ballet since 1996, Anderson says he ensures the company’s high status “through encouraging younger dancers by giving them chances at big roles but at the same time allowing the mature dancers to deepen their understanding of their roles, which totally enriches the performances.” 

And especially for Bangkok, he says, “We have some exciting new dancers who I am sure will thrill Bangkok audiences, and some of the principals who danced in Bangkok in 2007 are still dancing with us and have developed into mature and invaluable artists.”

A good example is Spanish born Alicia Amatriain, scheduled to perform Tatiana on the opening night here. A graduate of the company’s John Cranko School, she’s been a principal dancer with the company since 2002 and has also guest performed at the Bolshoi Ballet. Christian Spuck also created the leading role in his ballet “Lulu” especially for her. 

 

TWO SHOWS

The Stuttgart Ballet’s “Onegin” will be performed at 7.30pm on October 25 and at 2.30pm on October 26 at the Thailand Cultural Centre.

Tickets are Bt1,500 to Bt5,500 at ThaiTicketMajor.

For more details, see www.BangkokFestivals.com, Facebook.com/BangkoksInternationalFestivalOfDanceMusic and www.Stuttgart-Ballet.de.

 

Bangkok’s 16th International Festival of Dance and Music is supported by Bangkok Bank, Crown Property Bureau, BMW, B Grimm, Bangkok Hospital, Dusit Thani Bangkok, Indorama Ventures, Nation Multimedia, Beiersdorf, PTT, Singha Corporation, Thai Airways, Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Ministry of Culture.