The Ballet of the National Opera successfully completes the artistic period 2021/22 by presenting a new, ambitious production, with three choreographies of contemporary dance. The director of the ELS Ballet, Konstantinos Rigos, opens a creative dialogue on the modern language of dance with two of the most important forms of dance in the world, the leading Czech choreographer Girzi Killian and the internationally renowned Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin. For four performances, on 18, 20, 21 and 22 May 2022, in the Stavros Niarchos Hall of the National Opera at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center.
In the dance triptych “3 Rooms”, the Ballet of the National Opera will present the new choreography of Konstantinos Rigos “The equality of a child”, to music by the artistic director of ELS George Koumentakis, the emblematic choreography of Girzi Killian “Petite mort” and the famous choreography “Minus 16” by Ohad Naharin.
The ELS Ballet performs for the first time choreographies by Girzi Killian and Ohad Naharin, two great choreographers who defined contemporary dance worldwide. For the choreography of Konstantinos Rigos, the dancers of the Ballet of ELS share for the first time the stage with students of the Higher Vocational School of Dance of ELS and the State School of Orchestral Art (KSOT). The production is implemented with the support of the donation of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation (ISN) to strengthen the artistic extroversion of ELS.
“The pedal Tone for a Child” / “The Pedal Tone for a Child”
The director of the ELS Ballet, Konstantinos Rigos, presents a new choreography on the work of George Koumentakis “The equality of a child”. The work is based on Byzantine music and deals with the discovery of the world of nature and tradition. The new choreography of Konstantinos Rigos takes us to a black and white, dystopian, abandoned world, where the sign of a forgotten advertisement stands like a scarecrow on the distant horizon. The ground is grassy, while some logs look like weapons of a forgotten clash. Adolescence, dreams and romance. Anxiety about tomorrow or anxiety about nothing. The boundaries of the world are changing, the whole world at our feet, the whole world above our heads. “Are our choices really ours or predetermined? The isokratima of a child is a work for a mixed group of ELS Ballet dancers and dance students. “Experience and knowledge towards roughness and sensitivity create a kinesiological risk”, notes Konstantinos Rigos.
George Koumentakis mentions about the work: “In the first part of the work, a melody, riding on an improvised dance, comes from the East, overcoming every obstacle. The instruments swirl in incredible color combinations and in endless rhythmic gallops. The notes are transformed into a tender wave of nostalgia. In the second part, the musicians of the orchestra play with the vocal micron and various combinations of chords, making the isokratima look like a piece taken from the sounds of nature. Around him are wrapped melodies that rotate in perpetual circles and travel from instrument to instrument with the childhood imagination as a passenger. A war dance from Pontus is the subject of the third part. Musicians become warriors. They reach extreme situations and exceed their personal limits in a battle with time, looking forward to a better future “.
The choreography and sets are written by Konstantinos Rigos, the music by George Koumentakis, the music by Loukas Karytinos, the costumes by George Segredakis and the lighting by Eleftheria Deko. Collaborating set designer: Mary Tsagari. With the dancers of the ELS Ballet: Christina Makridou, Popi Sakellaropoulou, Olga Zourbina, Danilo Zeka, Strato Papanousi, Igor Siatzko, Thanasis Solomos. The Orchestra of ELS and students of the Higher Vocational School of Dance of ELS and the State School of Orchestral Art participate.
Petite mort
The great Girzy Killian, artistic director of the Nederlands Dans Theater (1975-1999), premiered the choreography “Petite mort” in Salzburg for the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death. For this work he choreographed the slow parts of the popular piano concertos no. 21 and 23 of Mozart. The choreographer states: “The work Petite mort is a poetic and strangely important way to describe the ecstasy of the act of love. In French, and in some other languages, this feeling is described as “small death”. And it may indeed be true that the moment of enjoyment (or the moment when a new life can be created) reminds us that our lives are relatively short and that death is never too far away. In this work I have based the choreography on two slow parts of Mozart’s two most famous piano concertos. I cut them from the fast parts, leaving them as mutilated trunks, lying helplessly in front of the listener and the viewer. They lie there, like something ancient trunks, without arms and legs, unable to walk or hug. There is no doubt that such an act is perverse. However we do. I am no exception. We live in a world where nothing is sacred. ” Aggression, sexuality, energy, silence play an important role in choreography, after all “Petite mort” (Little Death) is used to describe orgasm in French and Arabic.
Choreography, scenery, lighting: Girzi Killian. Music: B. A. Mozart. Costumes: Yoke Fisher. The dancers of the ELS Ballet are participating: Areti Noti, Magda Koukou-Ferra, Daniele Pecorari, ‘Angel Martinez Sanchez, Alicia Townsend, Zoe Schinoplokaki,’ Arie Beits-Vinueu-S, Tzu Vangelis Bikos, Danilo Zeka, Marita Nikolitsa, Giannis Gantsios, George Hatzopoulos, Margarita Costoglou, Ariadne Filippaki, Stelios Katopodis, Giannis Mitrakis.
«Minus 16»
With music from Dean Martin to mambo, child and traditional Israeli music, the top choreographer and artistic director of the famous Bacheva Dance Group (1990-2019) created “Minus 16”, a choreography that breaks down boundaries between audiences. and dancers in a unique, unpredictable way.
“Minus 16” was first performed in The Hague in 1999 by the Nederlands Dans Theater II. 1998). The music brings into dialogue pieces from the world of classical, traditional and pop culture. In addition to his stage work, Naharin also developed Gaga, an innovative kinesiological language based on research on the sharpening of the senses and imagination, the realization of form, the discovery of new kinesiological habits and the transcendence of familiar boundaries. Gaga is the basis of the daily training of Bacheva dancers and has spread worldwide among dancers as well as non-dancers.
Choreography, costumes: Ohad Naharin. Lighting: Avi Yona Bueno (Babi). The dancers of the ELS Ballet are dancing: Giovanka Zaric, Elena Kekkou, Magda Koukou-Ferra, Margarita Costoglou, Marita Nikolitsa, Areti Noti, Marta Rivera de Miranda, Eleftheria Stamou, Alpiski Alispoi, Zoi Schino , Giannis Gancios, Angel Martinez Sanchez, Giannis Mitrakis, Arie Bates-Vinueza, Jauma Deulofeu-Segi, Elton Dimrocci, Daniele Pekorari, George Hatzopoulos.
Ticket prices: from 10 to 70 euros. Pre-sale: ELS Funds (2130885700, daily 09.00-21.00) & ticketservices.gr
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