Brown has come a long ways since her postmodern Judson Church movement lab days in New York when she rejected the idea of dancing to music. Her new choreographies bare little resemblance to her provocative “parking lot performances” of 25 years ago.
Trisha Brown celebrates the 30th anniversary of her 12-member repertory company with a new groundbreaking piece “El Trilogy,” a three-part production set to original jazz music written by Dave Douglas and performed live by his quartet.
Brown reconsidered the role of music with her dance in the early ’80s and began studying composition and harmony. Finally, in 1986, she dared to take a brave leap into the unknown, choreographing an opera for the first time: none other than “Carmen” at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, directed by Lina Wertmüller. After enjoying her first classical success, she decided to tackle Bach.
Next came Webern’s very difficult “String Quartet,” and in 1998, she took on another major challenge, choreographing Monteverdi’s opera “Orféo” for La Monnaie Theater in Brussels, in which she integrated singers and dancers creating marvelous optical illusions in baroque fashion, using specially-designed flying machinery.
Her latest work begins with “Five Part Weather Invention,” which had an avant-premiere last November in Belgium. Here the dancers are costumed in vivid suits, each color/dancer representing a note on the chromatic scale. The second dynamic sequence called “Rupture to Leon James” is a tribute to the famous Lindy Hopper of the ’30s who dazzled audiences at the Savoy Hotel in Harlem. The final part “Groove and Countergroove” starts out smooth and mellow, gradually and almost imperceptibly speeding up, the dancers breaking up the lines and fluid figures, creating that humorous carefree mood that Trisha Brown is so well known for.
“El Trilogy” Trisha Brown Dance Company (Chor. Trisha Brown, Music: Dave Douglas) Nov 16-18 at 8pm; Nov 19 at 3pm & 8pm Théâtre des Champs-Elysées, 15 av Montaigne, 8e, M° Alma-Marceau, tel: 01 49 52 50 50
Dance Selections
Apollon Musagète”
(chor. George Balanchine), “A Suite of Dances” (chor. Jerome Robbins), “Annonciation” (chor. Angelin Preljocaj), “Yamm” (chor. Lionel Hoche) Nov 1 & 7 at 7:30pm. Four works by two generations of world-class choreographers are included in this program of neo-classical non-narrative movement. A program whose main aim is to uplift and enchant. Opéra National de Paris-Palais Garnier, Paris Opera Ballet Company, pl de l’Opéra, 1er, M° Bastille, tel: 08 36 69 78 68
“Des souffles de vie”
(chor. Héla Fattoumi/Eric Lamoureux) Nov 1-4, 9pm. In this new work inspired by the writings of Brazilian author Clarice Lispector, movement, voice and accordeon sounds interact like three distinct identities striving to share the same space. Théâtre de la Bastille, 76 rue de la Roquette, 11e, M° Voltaire or Bastille, tel: 01 43 57 42 14
“Tokyo Zone,” Nov 1-5 (times vary for various presentations). A multimedia event made in Japan, Tokyo Zone encapsulates a week-long program of contemporary music, films, photo exhibits, literary debates and Butoh dance works by leading Japanese artists. Café de la Danse, 5 passage Louis Philippe, 11e, M° Bastille, tel: 01 40 53 91 85
Spectacle de ballets: “In the Middle Somewhat Elevated,” “The Vertiginous Thrill of Exactitude,” “Woundwork 1,” “Pas./parts” (chor. William Forsythe) Nov 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 11 at 7:30pm; Nov 5 at 3pm. Forsythe’s most challenging and revolutionary post-neoclassical works created in the ’80s and ’90s. Opéra National de Paris-Palais Garnier, Paris Opera Ballet Company, pl de l'Opéra, 1er, M° Bastille, tel: 08 36 69 78 68
“DeadDogsDon’tDance- DjamesDjoyceDeaD”
(chor. Jan Lauwers/Needcompany) Nov 2-4 at 8:30pm. Avant-garde Belgian dancemaker Jan Lauwers’ personal tribute to Joyce. Théâtre de la Ville/Festival d’Automne, 2 pl du Châtelet, 4e, M° Châtelet, RER Châtelet-Les Halles, tel: 01 42 74 22 77
“Ma”
(chor. Pierre Droulers) Nov 8-11 at 9pm; Nov 12 at 5pm Pierre Droulers’s “ma” comes from the Japanese meaning “transition” or “rupture”; and explores man’s perception of time and space. Théâtre de la Bastille/Festival d’Automne, 76 rue de la Roquette, 11e, M° Voltaire or Bastille, tel: 01 43 57 42 14
“The Nutcracker”
(chor. Rudolf Nureyev) Nov 10, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 25, 28 at 7:30pm (runs through Dec 24) Rudolf Nureyev’s sumptuously staged and costumed version of Marius Petipa’s “Nutcracker” (1892), is an absolute must at holiday time. Opéra National de Paris-Bastille, Paris Opera Ballet Company, 2 bis pl de la Bastille, 12e, M° Bastille, tel: 08 36 69 78 68
“As Long As the World Needs a Warrior’s Soul” (chor. Jan Fabre/Troubleyn) Nov 14, 15, 17, 18 at 8:30pm. Fabre is back at his home away from home on the place du Châtelet to present another creation which aims to disturb the soul. Overtly political, “As Long As...” is what Fabre describes as a revolutionary work about revolution. Théâtre de la Ville, 2 pl du Châtelet, 4e, M° Châtelet, RER Châtelet-Les Halles, tel: 01 42 74 22 77
“Quartett de Heiner Muller”
(chor. Tg Stan & Rosas) Nov 20, Nov 22-25 at 8:30pm. Anne Teresa de Keersmaeker and her sister Jolente will premiere their new work based on Laclos’s 18th century best-seller “Dangerous Liaisons.” Centre Pompidou, pl Georges Pompidou, 4e, M° Rambuteau or Hôtel de Ville, tel: 01 44 78 12 33
“Inasmuch as life is borrowed...”
(chor. Wim Vandekeybus/Ultima Vez) Nov 21-25 at 8:30pm. Wim Vandeekeybus’s choreography is always on the razor’s edge, full of physically dangerous stunts and risky falls. This new danse contemporaine piece set to live music by Marc Ribot deals with human passion and excessiveness. Théâtre de la Ville, 2 pl du Châtelet, 4e, M° Châtelet, RER Châtelet-Les Halles, tel: 01 42 74 22 77
“La petite fille aux allumettes”
(chor. Elizabeth Schmidt/Tendanse) To Dec 17, Sat & Sun at 4pm. Schmidt’s new danse-theater work, “La petite fille aux allumettes,” is enchanting. A guaranteed escape from the big bad commercial world. Studio-Théâtre, 6 rue de la Folie Méricourt, 11e, M° St-Ambroise, tel: 01 47 00 19 60
“Still Life N°1”
(chor. Lynda Gaudreau/Compagnie de Brune) Nov 22-25 at 8:30pm A duo exploring the ins and outs of human anatomy. Théâtre de la Ville/Abbesses, 31 rue des Abbesses, 18e, M° Abbesses, tel: 01 42 74 22 77
