Thomas Mann termed his novella as a “tragedy of devaluation”. A SNG Maribor Ballet co-production, choreographed by Valentina Turcu, Death in Venice paints a deeply sensitive portrayal of a man overwhelmed by the invisible forces of love, Eros, and the destructive Thanatos – chaotic forces that no one can escape.
Emio Greco and Pieter C. Scholten form the creative duo of the Ballet National de Marseille. Featuring a children’s choir, their dance show is based on Gustav Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder (Songs on the Death of Children). Actually, they have created two separate productions that are touring across Europe. Nevertheless, Ljubljana will be the exclusive venue for a double-bill of Appearance and Disappearance.
A Love Supreme is an album by a great jazz musician, saxophonist John Coltrane. It is also a legendary 2005 show by the celebrated choreographer Anna Terese de Keersmaeker and her group Rosas. And legendary things are worth reprising. Revived last August, A Love Supreme – blending Coltrane’s full album and an improvised dance composition featuring four brilliant dancers – takes an extemporaneous form. A form that is invariably unique and unequalled.
And, finally, a reversal of genres: Črna mati zemla was last Croatian theatre season’s runaway success. This season’s greatest hit is Gypsy, yet so Beautiful (Ciganin, ali najljepši). Both productions were based on novels by Kristian Novak, whose books draw a vivid portrait of contemporary schizophrenic society, depicting the outsiders, outcasts, the marginalised, and incorporating personal dramas, reflections of war… The production, involving virtually the entire ensemble of the Croatian National Theatre in Zagreb, was directed by Ivica Buljan.
The Magnificent 7 events share a common feature – great artistic vision. Lucid, charismatic, idiosyncratic. A greatness common to all whilst individually so unique.
Andrej Jaklič, Theatre and Contemporary Dance Programme Director