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A member of Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre in rehearsal for Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring |
Blood, beasts and bluebeards
PREVIEW: DR BLUEBEARD'S CASTLE/
THE RITE OF SPRING
London Coliseum
ORIGINALLY regarded as one of the 20th century’s most controversial compositions, Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring has been performed so often (and often so badly) by orchestras all over the place that it has tended to be regarded as a tedious bore.
But its original reputation may well be revived through performance of the work at the Coliseum on Friday by Irish company Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre with the English National Opera’s 90-strong orchestra.
Fabulous Beast is regarded by many as one of the most daring and highly original dance theatre companies in world. It’s led by Irish director and choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan. Edward Gardner, the ENO’s music director, says the Irish director works in a different way from other choreographers, seeking to use his dancers to enhance the music rather than use the music to accompany his dancers.
As a ballet work, it’s odd to see The Rite of Spring being performed by an opera company.
In this case, it’s being put on so that the ENO can perform Bartok’s masterpiece Dr Bluebeard’s Castle, his only opera.
Based on the fairy-tale, it has only two characters: Dr Bluebeard and his new wife Judith.
She comes home to his castle for the first time – only to discover his bloody past when she finds out what lies behind the seven closed doors.
As a one-act 50-minute work, Bluebeard is usually coupled with other short operas, such as Schoenberg’s Erwartung, about a woman’s longing and loss.
Even the most hardened Bartok fans sometimes find the coupling with Schoenberg just too much to stomach.
In the concert hall, Bluebeard’s Castle is sometimes paired with The Rite of Spring.
So the ENO has adopted this opera/ballet coupling so Bartok’s opera has a worthy companion.
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