Malandain Biarritz Ballet presents The Pastorale, Ludwig van Beethoven’s 6th Symphony.
“An ode to rustic life, the Pastoral Symphony is the expression of an emotion rather than a descriptive work”.
Conveying the composer’s deep love for nature, the piece orchestrates 22 artists expressing, through dance, the innocence and peace of Ancient Greece. Serene and thoroughly idealistic, The Pastorale refers to Hellenic Antiquity as a nostalgic place of artistic perfection, where pain caused by endless desire meets bliss provided by the original light.
La Pastorale naturally centers around Beethoven’s 6th Symphony, the Pastoral Symphony. It portrays the flowery paths of the ancient countryside, the innocence of earlier times, and the sacred dust of Athens, gliding like a halo. Also including Cantata op. 112 and a few bars of The Ruins of Athens as a background for the travels of a wandering companion, La Pastorale alludes to Ancient Greece as a nostalgic and revitalizing place, taking you from the pain of endless desire to the spiritual kingdom of infinity.
22 dancers: Alejandro Sánchez Bretones, Alessia Peschiulli, Allegra Vianello, Claire Lonchampt, Clémence Chevillotte, Frederik Deberdt, Giuditta Banchetti, Guillaume Lillo, Hugo Layer, Irma Hoffren, Ismael Turel Yagüe, Jeshua Costa, Julen Rodriguez Flores, Julie Bruneau, Laurine Viel, Loan Frantz, Marta Alonso, Mickaël Conte, Noé Ballot, Patricia Velázquez, Raphaël Canet, Yui Uwaha.
Coach / external eye / Mentor : Richard Coudray & Giuseppe Chiavaro
Music (composition) : Ludwig van Beethoven (6ème symphonie « Pastorale », Cantate op. 112, extraits des Ruines d’Athènes)
Costumes : Jorge Gallardo
Lighting: François Menou
Photographer : Olivier Houeix
Costumes realization : Véronique Murat assistée de Charlotte Margnoux
Set design : Loïc Durand
Set and props realization : Frédéric Vadé
Remerciements (partenaires/personnes directement impliquées dans la production) :
Co-producers Chaillot Théâtre national de la Danse • Beethoven Jubiläums Gesellschaft (Allemagne) • Norddeutsche Konzertdirektion Melsine Grevesmühl GmbH • Theater Bonn (Allemagne) • Le Parvis scène nationale Tarbes Pyrénées • Opéra de Reims • Ballet T • Donostia Kultura – Victoria Eugenia Antzokia de Donostia / San Sebastián (Espagne) • CCN Malandain Ballet Biarritz
Partners Théâtre de Gascogne – Scènes de Mont de Marsan • Espace Jéliote Oloron-Sainte-Marie • L’Odyssée – Scène Conventionnée de Perigueux • Scène du Golfe / Théâtre Anne de Bretagne – Vannes • Opéra de Saint-Étienne • Théâtre Olympia d’Arcachon • Escenario Clece / Teatros del Canal – Madrid (Espagne)
Malandain Ballet Biarritz was supported for this tour in Montreal by the French Institute – New Aquitaine Region, the Basque Country Agglomeration Community within the framework of the BERPIZTU cultural support plan as well as by the Etxepare Institute.
