Impressing the Czar
Encyclopedia
Impressing the Czar is an award-winning ballet choreographed by William Forsythe
with music by Thom Willems, Leslie Stuck, Eva Crossman-Hecht, and Ludwig van Beethoven. It was premiered in its full-length version in 1988 in Frankfurt am Main by the Ballet Frankfurt.
The work's title is a reference to the Czar Nicholas II's lukewarm reception of Marius Petipa's lavish production of The Sleeping Beauty. The three-act work has five sections titled "Potemkin's Signature," "In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated," "La Masion de Mezzo Prezzo," "Bongo Bongo Nageela," and "Mr PNut Goes to the Big Top." Though the work has no continuous narrative theme, the ballet comments ironically and often humorously on the history of Western civilization and its economies of culture.
"In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated," was originally created in 1987 for the Paris Opera Ballet
, where it was danced by soloists Isabelle Guérin, Sylvie Guillem
, Laurent Hilaire, and Manuel Legris. The title of this section refers to two cherries which hang suspended over the stage. One of Forsythe's most famous creations, this work is in the repertory of numerous ballet companies around the world. In 1992, its performance by England's Royal Ballet received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.
Impressing the Czar was performed by the Ballet Frankfurt from 1988 to 1995, when the piece's lifespan was assumed to have expired. In 2006, Kathryn Bennetts, director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders and Forsythe's former ballet mistress in Frankfurt, requested it for her company's repertory. The Flanders ensemble has since performed Impressing the Czar worldwide. In 2009, their production received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.
William Forsythe (dancer)
William Forsythe is an American dancer and choreographer resident in Frankfurt am Main in Hessen. He is known internationally for his work with the Ballett Frankfurt and The Forsythe Company...
with music by Thom Willems, Leslie Stuck, Eva Crossman-Hecht, and Ludwig van Beethoven. It was premiered in its full-length version in 1988 in Frankfurt am Main by the Ballet Frankfurt.
The work's title is a reference to the Czar Nicholas II's lukewarm reception of Marius Petipa's lavish production of The Sleeping Beauty. The three-act work has five sections titled "Potemkin's Signature," "In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated," "La Masion de Mezzo Prezzo," "Bongo Bongo Nageela," and "Mr PNut Goes to the Big Top." Though the work has no continuous narrative theme, the ballet comments ironically and often humorously on the history of Western civilization and its economies of culture.
"In the Middle, Somewhat Elevated," was originally created in 1987 for the Paris Opera Ballet
Paris Opera Ballet
The Paris Opera Ballet is the oldest national ballet company in the world, and many European and international ballet companies can trace their origins to it...
, where it was danced by soloists Isabelle Guérin, Sylvie Guillem
Sylvie Guillem
Sylvie Guillem CBE is a French ballet dancer. She was the top-ranking female dancer with the Paris Opera Ballet from 1984 to 1989, before becoming a principal guest artist with the Royal Ballet in London. She is currently performing contemporary dance as an Associate Artist of London's Sadler's...
, Laurent Hilaire, and Manuel Legris. The title of this section refers to two cherries which hang suspended over the stage. One of Forsythe's most famous creations, this work is in the repertory of numerous ballet companies around the world. In 1992, its performance by England's Royal Ballet received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.
Impressing the Czar was performed by the Ballet Frankfurt from 1988 to 1995, when the piece's lifespan was assumed to have expired. In 2006, Kathryn Bennetts, director of the Royal Ballet of Flanders and Forsythe's former ballet mistress in Frankfurt, requested it for her company's repertory. The Flanders ensemble has since performed Impressing the Czar worldwide. In 2009, their production received the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Dance.
External links
- http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=950DE0DC153DF933A25754C0A96F948260&n=Top/Reference/Times%20Topics/Subjects/D/Dancing 1989 review of Impressing the Czar, New York Times
- http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/arts/dance/19czar.html 2008 Review of Impressing the Czar, New York Times