Poéme de l’extase – Australian Premiere
Originally created by John Cranko for Margot Fonteyn, Poéme de l’extase tells the story of a famous actress recalling her past. Flattered at first by the attentions of a much younger man who falls in love with her, she then recalls her former loves and realising that this part of her life has already fulfilled, rejects the hapless young man. Scriabin’s music, with its accumulation torrents of emotion, coupled with opulent designs from Pablo Núñez, capture the essence of the Belle Époque in this stunning ballet.
Jeu de carte
One of his most adored and enduring works, Jeu de carte, a ‘poker game in three deals’, revels in Cranko’s playful tenacity. The protagonist is the clown faced, red-wigged Joker, whose disruptive, chameleonic presence determines the outcome of the game. Set to Stravinsky’s witty score, this ballet has been a hit with audiences the world over.
Prélude á l’aprés-midi d’un faune & Dying Swan
Brought back especially for the company’s 60th anniversary, Prélude á l’aprés-midi d’un faune was choreographed by Barry Moreland in 1985 for former West Australian Ballet star Ronnie Van den Bergh. The work brilliantly captures the languid imagery from Stephane Mallarme, on whose poem Debussy based his famous composition. The final diamond in this program of exquisite gems is Michel Fokine’s Dying Swan, created for luminary Anna Pavlova in 1905 and restaged in 2012 by Perth’s own world-star, Margaret Illmann.
Credits
Poéme de l’extase – Australian Premiere
Chroeography
John Cranko
Music
Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin
Set & Costumes
Pablo Núñez
Lighting
Jon Buswell
Jeu de carte
Choreography
John Cranko
Music
Igor Stravinsky
Set & Costume
Dorothee Zippel
Lighting
Jon Buswell
Prélude á l’aprés-midi d’un faune
Choreography
Barry Moreland
Music
Claude Debussy
Set & Costumes
Barry Morealnd & Nina Thompson
Lighting
Kenneth Raynor
Dying Swan
Choreography
Michel Fokine
Music
Camille Saint-Saens
Lighting
Jon Buswell