PROMETHEUS - DUTCH NATIONAL BALLET
joined creation by Ernst Meisner, Remi Wortmeyer, Wubkje Kuindersma
Divine fire
In his entire career, Beethoven wrote only a single ballet: Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus – an allegorical ballet d’action composed in 1801 for the imperial court at Vienna. The music was well-received, but apart from a brief synopsis – Prometheus steals fire from the gods to give to two mortals – nothing of the choreography survives. In Beethoven, Dutch National Ballet presents the world première of a new, abstracted translation of the Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus. Following in the footsteps of the DNB’s original three ‘Vans’ and their 1975 co-creation Collective Symphony, Beethoven’s ballet will be recreated by a trio of rising young choreographers: Wubkje Kuindersma, Ernst Meisner and Remi Wörtmeyer.
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Dancers: Dutch National Ballet
Set+costumes: Tatyana van Walsum
Light-design: Carlo Cerri
Video-design: Alessandro Grisendi
Dramaturgy: Willem Bruls
Balletmasters: Sandrine Leroy, Judy Maelor Thomas
Duration: circa 40min
Worldpremiere at Dutch National Ballet: 8th June 2021, Muziektheater Amsterdam
photos of ouverture, finale, tempesta, duet by Kuindersma
photographer: Hans Gerritsen
dancers above: Floor Eimers and Timothy van Poucke/ Dutch National Ballet
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reviews
..."Each of the three choreographers has taken on the part of the Prometheus story that most appealed to them, but their visions unite around the remarkable central portrayal of Prometheus by Timothy van Poucke. Dressed in a red suit, carrying “fire” stolen from the gods in the form of a lamp during Kuindersma’s overture, he drives the ballet. Kuindersma focuses on Prometheus’ inner world, including repeated settings of the “tempest” music as solos for van Poucke."...
..."Kuindersma also contributes a central duet for van Poucke and Floor Eimers – she now wearing his red jacket – which is a highlight of this new creation. Eimers dances with great attack, mirroring van Poucke exactly, but Kuindersma also throws in some dramatic high lifts."...
..."Kuindersma choreographs the finale, music familiar through its use in the Eroica Symphony. Danced by the corps, it is explosive, energetic and upbeat – played with lively punch by the Dutch Ballet Orchestra under Marzio Conti – until they all disappear behind the screen, leaving Prometheus alone. Considering it could have looked disjointed – with three creative inputs – this attractive new work has remarkable cohesion and vitality."...
Bachtrack 10 June 2021
..."Kuindersma also contributes a central duet for van Poucke and Floor Eimers – she now wearing his red jacket – which is a highlight of this new creation. Eimers dances with great attack, mirroring van Poucke exactly, but Kuindersma also throws in some dramatic high lifts."...
..."Kuindersma choreographs the finale, music familiar through its use in the Eroica Symphony. Danced by the corps, it is explosive, energetic and upbeat – played with lively punch by the Dutch Ballet Orchestra under Marzio Conti – until they all disappear behind the screen, leaving Prometheus alone. Considering it could have looked disjointed – with three creative inputs – this attractive new work has remarkable cohesion and vitality."...
Bachtrack 10 June 2021
