A triumph relived
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The Baltic Dance Theatre has earned much acclaim with its 'Rite of Spring'
The Baltic Dance Theatre will next month revive its most spectacular success for Bangkok viewers – a modern-day rendition of Stravinsky’s “Rite of Spring” – alongside a new work based on Samuel Beckett’s “Waiting for Godot” that combines philosophical brilliance with provocative movements and cutting-edge music.
Supported by the Polish Embassy, the event brings two masterpieces for the price of one when this talented troupe from Poland commands centre stage in Bangkok’s International Festival of Dance and Music.
The Baltic Dance Theatre first stepped out in public back in 2010. Two years earlier a group of young, talented dancers started arriving in Gdansk from all over the country to strengthen the small-yet-dynamic Baltic Opera ballet team.
Consecutive premieres confirmed that the newly founded company has created new standards of quality and excellence with its modern dance spectacles.
Izadora Weiss is the artistic director. She believes the spirit of the music must lead the physical movement, and that a production’s full sense only becomes clear when the two create an indissoluble unity.
She tries to convey positive emotions in the stories told by her dances, based on a value system in which love, human worth and faithfulness to one’s ideals, family and friends combine with the love of truth and justice. These beliefs are the opposite of the wanton destruction promoted by modern cultures and even so-called “subcultures”.
Values and approaches like these have set the Baltic National Theatre apart from its peers and attracted much attention. A case in point is the BBC’s Music department. Looking for a choreographer who would stand out among the recent wave of modern-dance producers, the department decided to make a film about Izadora Weiss and her young squad of dancers.
The troupe’s most spectacular success to date was the “Rite of Spring” premiere on the Warsaw National Theatre stage, with Stravinsky’s music interpreted by the celebrated Venezuelan Gustavo Dudamel Orchestra.
The brutal tale of male domination in the contemporary world triggered shock among viewers, much as Igor Stravinsky’s original production did in Paris in 1913. But the Polish critics applauded the perfect choreography and the talented ensemble.
The dance company will also present “Waiting for ...” , freshly choreographed by Weiss for its premiere in 2011 with movements set to both baroque and contemporary music.
The title refers to Beckett’s controversial play and this production is Weiss’ most philosophical and poetic creation. The story of symbolic of unfulfilled waiting, of unrealised yearning, and of dreams that will never come true, has undergone a transformation into pure sound and movement.
The critics have spoken out in her favour many times over, but when it comes to addressing her humanitarian concerns and the consistency of her oeuvre, perhaps Jerzy Snakowski said it best:
“People who know Izadora Weiss’ previous spectacles may notice one of her best features: consistency. Weiss defends human dignity persistently and with growing fury. It is surprising that the production is not presented under the auspices of Amnesty International.”
The festival is sponsored by Bangkok Bank, B Grimm, the Dusit Thani Bangkok, Nation Multimedia Group, Nivea, SCG, Singha, Thai Airways International, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and Toyota Motor Thailand.
Shall we| Gdansk?
- See the Baltic Dance Theatre at the Thailand Cultural Centre on September 21 at 7.30pm.
- Tickets are available at www.ThaiTicketMajor.com. Call (02) 262 3191.
- Find out more at www.BangkokFestivals.com.
