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This issue marks the 20th year of my collaboration with the Paris Free Voice and my beginnings in dance writing with a brief piece I did on Maurice Béjart's Ballet of the XXth Century at the Palais des Sports in February 1979. It's purely coincidental, but what could be a more symbolic selection for the February 1999 edition than to feature once again the ever-prolific Maurice Béjart who's coming with his current company, the Ballet Lausanne, to the Palais de Sports February 4 to 21 with two programs: the premiere of "Mutationx," and a revival of a 1997 work, "Le Presbytère n'a rien perdu de son charme, ni le jardin de son éclat." No other dancemaker in the world has enjoyed the choreographic longevity of 71-year-old Béjart, whose work has evolved with the times, drawing football stadium-sized audiences time and again to sumptuous productions that are sure to enter the annals of this century's ballet masterpieces. Béjart, who founded his first company, the Ballets de l'Etoile in 1954, revitalized the classical ballet form by blending in bold modern dance, acrobatics, traditional movement and ritualistic choral sequences (his trademark) performed by no less than 30 dancers. The effect has always been powerful and hypnotic like in his "Boléro," "Sacre du Printemps"and Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. Since his career began, Béjart has been a self-styled artistic missionary of sorts, and unlike many of today's one-dimensional, insular works churned out by choreographers with little to say, every one of his 50 or so spectacular productions conveys an underlying humanist or humanitarian message. He's never failed in 45 years to captivate and subtly raise public consciousness. "Mutationx," which had a successful world premiere in Moscow last year, promises to be no exception, this time focusing on our dying eco-system and the destruction of the planet. The setting is on the eve of an imagined apocalypse. The planet is in its final throes, overrun by pollution and nuclear wars, and a small group of survivors are preparing to leave the Earth in the one remaining space vessel. On the eve of their departure, they pay a final tribute in music and dance to what had been their home. One person decides to stay, however, after he notices a lone flower in the distance, giving him hope that Mother Nature might still somehow pull through. Béjart handles this somber theme with a musical comedy touch, blending together moments of humor, nostalgia and science fiction. Although Béjart has always had a penchant for choreographing full-length challenging classical compositions, this time he's turned to jazz and pop music by Jackie Gleason, John Zorn and Hughes Le Bars, which helps to instill the will to live and a sense of optimism that saving the planet is not a lost cause. The ball, however, Béjart makes clear, is now in our court... Maurice Béjart Ballet Lausanne, "Mutationx," Feb 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 at 8:30pm; Feb 7 & 14 at 3pm, "Le Presbytère n'a rien perdu de son charme, ni le jardin de son éclat," Feb 17-20 at 8:30pm; Feb 21 at 3pm, Palais des Sports Porte de Versailles, 15e, M° Porte de Versailles. tel: 01.44.68.69.70. |
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