World premiиre:
American Ballet Theater at the City Center
in New York, 29 October 1998
Russian
premiиre: Mikhailovsky Theatre, 15 March 2011
Without Words is Nacho Duato’s second work
for the prestigious American Ballet Theater company. The title refers
to Schubert’s songs scores, which are instrumental music, music without
words. As in the songs, the choreographer strips the dancing
of any evident romantic atmosphere. Love and death appear as the
central subjects derived from the music. A new world, with all its
possibilities, is revealed in a dark existential scenographic
space typical of the 20th century. Duato shows a universal vital cycle
in all its spontaneity, free of unnecessary alignments and
ornaments.
Duende Choreography: Nacho Duato
Costumes: Susan Unger
Lighting Design: Nicolas Fischtel
Choreographer's Assistants: Tony Fabre, Eva Maria
Lopez Crevillen
World premiиre: Nederlands Dans Theater at the
AT&T Danstheater, The Hague, 21 November 1991
Russian premiиre: Mikhailovsky Theatre, 15 March
2011
Duato’s ‘ideas’
for choreography are almost always preceded by his choice of music,
which characterises his working method. Maybe this applies to Duende
in particular, because the music was the only source of inspiration
for this ballet. Long ago, Duato fell in love with Debussy, especially with
the way the composer makes nature sound in music. When he listens
to this music, Duato visualises shapes, not people, relationships
or events. This is why he considers Duende as an almost
sculptural work: a body, a movement, that goes with the tune.
Duende literally means
elf or fairy, like the ones who tidy upchildren’s toys at night, but
it can also mean rascal, a naughty child. One can also possess
‘duende’, when radiating energy and great charm, almost having a magical
attraction. In Andalusia flamenco is said
to have duende, which can hardly
be translated into another language. Flamenco has a touch
of spell, one might say, like the way black music has ‘soul’
White Darkness
Choreography: Nacho
Duato
World premiere: 2001, Madrid