Artists
Credits
One-act ballet set to music from the suite Aguas da Amazonia by Philip Glass
Choreography: Edwaard Liang
Staging and Lighting: Edwaard Liang
20 minutes
Première of the production: 24 May 2007
The ballet is performed to a recording
Performed on tour to Bangkok, Thailand (2010), Astana, Kazakhstan (2014)
The production was a nominee to the Golden Mask National Theatre Festival in 2008
“The ballet was created in the time, when I was interested in the ancient mythology, when I was reading on different cults, spirits and other things of that kind... I learned different concepts of how the spirits, surrounding people, influence their life: protect, guide, support. These can be guardian angels or supernatural spirits... In many cultures, there are occult powers that guide people, and I was fully absorbed by the atmosphere, when I started working on Whispers. Speaking of Pas de deux, it was based on my vision of the legend of Orpheus. The main character has no idea, how his beloved looks like, it’s impossible as he is blind and her image is only what he feels.
My ballet is about people, who live in the darkness, guided only by the sounds of the world around, that whisper to them, support them, protect them. That’s why I called my ballet Whispers in the Dark.”
Edwaard Liang
Artists
Credits
Based on the commedia dell’arte scenario The Four Pulcinellas
Libretto by Kirill Simonov after Leonide Massine
Choreography and Staging: Kirill Simonov
Musical Director and Conductor: Ainars Rubikis
Stage Designer: Emil Kapelush
Costume Designer: Stefanija Graurogkaite
Lighting Designer: Alexander Mustonen
Répétiteurs: Tatiana Kladnichkina, Vladimir Grigoriev
Best Male Ballet Role (Maxim Grishenkov for the role of Pulcinella)
Best Conductor (Ainars Rubikis)
40 minutes
Première of the production: 19 April 2013
The production received a diploma of the Golden Mask National Theatre Festival in the category Best Ballet Production (2014)
Ballet’s plot is borrowed from an Italian manuscript of XVIII century where primary characters are from folk Italian commedia dell’arte. Merry, playful, cheerful production about adventures of farceur Pulcinella as staged by young choreographer Kirill Simonov is rightly loved by the audience.
The ballet starts with the entrance of Caviello and Florindo, who fix their eyes on the houses of their beloved girls. Soon Prudenza and Rosetta look out of the windows. First they smile invitingly at their suitors, but then pour water on them. The young men run away.
Pulcinella appears. He dances on the street playing the guitar. His dance and music attracts the girls’ attention. Prudenza even attempts to hug Pulcinella, but he send her home. Rosetta, who is also in love with Pulcinella, appears. Rosetta dances in front of him, Pulcinella is charmed: he kisses her and invites her to dance with him. Pimpinella, Pulcinella’s wife, sees the dancing couple. Pimpinella is upset, but soon — and alas! not for the first time — forgives him. The two unlucky suitors — Caviello and Florindo — watch what’s going on. When they see that Rosetta and Prudenza are attracted to Pulcinella, they become jealous of his success. Caviello and Florindo attack Pulcinella. They chase him and kill Pulcinella in front of his wife. Pimipinella faints.
Fourbo, Pulcinella’s friend, appears. He sees the dead Pulcinella. But Fourbo knows his friend and doesn’t believe in his death. In fact, Pulcinella has only feigned death. They conceive a plot: Fourbo puts on Pulcinella’s clothes. Pulcinella escapes.
Pimpinella regains consciousness and starts mourning over her husband. The worried girls dote on him, too. The frightened young men also watch the “dead” Pulcinella. A magician appears, who claims that can revive Pulcinella. Pimpinella and two girls wait for the results of the mysterious spells. Pulcinella revives. The girls confess their love to him. In this moment the second Pulcinella appears. Everybody is confused, especially Pimpinella.
Further all the characters take part in the action. Caviello and Florindo put on Pulcinella’s costumes and attempt to court Rosetta and Prudenza again. The girls gladly accept their courtship. But soon the deception is exposed. The girls understand that they took Caviello and Florindo for Pulcinella. The young men propose to the girls, and they accept the proposals gladly. All the conflicts are solved. Two couples have found their happiness. Only Pimpinella can’t find the real Pulcinella among the multiplied double-gangers. Knowing the restless character of her husband, she understands that it won’t be easy to solve the puzzle.