The Rijeka theatre audience was deeply impressed by the ballet diptych marking the 100th anniversary of birth of Leonard Bernstein, American music and dance icon. Loud applause and shouts of “Bravo” followed Serenade – Letters to Him by Igor Kirov to Bernstein’s Serenade (after Plato’s Symposium) and Allegro by Maša Kolar to selected allegro movements from Beethoven’s symphonies, both performed by the Ballet Company of the Ivan pl. Zajc CNT.
These are some of the comments of the audience on the premiered diptych: “Coordinated dancers. Effective set and lighting. All quite sophisticated”, “Excellent, both choreographies are splendid, the first being a viewpoint from Bernstein’s angle, the second just as playful. The ballet ensemble is brilliant”, “Allegro is funny, charming, dynamic and powerful”, “The first part is melancholy and dreamy. I like the metaphors of feelings”, “Elegant costumes, clean set design, the play with chairs was brilliant”, “The choice of music is admirable. I can’t say which of the two parts I find better”.
Serenade unveils the individuality of the unstoppable, popular and everywhere present genius Leonard Bernstein, American Adonis that a great number of them could never have had enough of. His erotic, full-body conducting style, using his hips, his arms, his back, his eyebrows, gestures and mimicking, emotionally acting out the piece he was conducting and free from the imposed limits, it was with his body that Leonard Bernstein expressed thoughts, feelings and dreams. On the other hand, Allegro is bringing a bright background of looking into Bernstein’s identity, his conducting art and dance dimension of his work.
You can see Serenade & Allegro in the block of reruns on 8th, 14th, 15th, 20th and 21st December 2018.
Following the performance on Saturday 8th December at 19:30 hours, we are waiting for you in the Zajc auditorium in order to listen to your impressions and talk about the performance at the Critical Voice. Iva Nerina Sibila, critic and dance artist, will also be taking part. Let us practice diversity by practicing critical thinking!
