Ballet Under The Stars: Two weekends of magical dance performance at Fort Canning
PUBLISHED July 7th, 2014 05:30 am | UPDATED January 20th, 2016 02:35 pm
For its 19th Edition of the annual Ballet Under the Stars, Singapore Dance Theatre will be presenting two weekends of exquisite choreography by award-winning international choreographers from 18 – 20 July and 25 – 27 July at Fort Canning Green.
The program of performances will include spectacular works like George Balanchine’s joyous Allegro Brillante and the grand masterpiece, Theme and Variations, Val Caniparoli’s Asian-inspired Chant, Edwaard Liang’s The Winds of Zephyrus and Opus 25, Edmund Stripe’s breath-taking Piano Concerto No. 2, Opus 102, and a world premiere by internationally acclaimed Australian contemporary choreographer Natalie Weir.
“Ballet Under the Stars remains an iconic, signature event in our annual performance calendar”, said SDT Artistic Director Janek Schergen. “Now, with two consecutive weekends of performances, we can offer a more diverse range of repertoire to our audiences. Certain pieces lend themselves better in an outdoor setting and this year’s choice of seven ballets comprises the finest of both our classical and contemporary repertoire.”
The annual outdoor performance has become one of SDT’s trademarks and endures as Singapore’s favourite outdoor dance event. It’s a wonderful opportunity to unwind with a sumptuous picnic spread at Fort Canning and to enjoy magical evenings of dance with family and friends!
Here is the performance line-up for Ballet Under The Stars:
Performance Line up 18 – 20 July
Piano Concerto No. 2, Opus 102 by Edmund Stripe
A 20-minute piece that features 7 female and 6 male dancers on stage in a fast-paced and exciting work. Audiences will probably find the music of the first movement of this choreography familiar as it was featured in the Disney movie, Fantasia 2000.
Bittersweet by Natalie Weir (World Premiere)
A pas de deux created by Natalie Weir for SDT, with two different couples dancing the piece for each weekend. Natalie Weir is an established and acclaimed choreographer, known for her highly physical partner work, her organic movement style and her touching insight into human nature.
Chant by Val Caniparoli
Created especially for SDT in 2012, Chant is an Asian-inspired work featuring thirteen dancers, performed to Lou Harrison’s Double Concerto for Violin and Cello with Javanese Gamelan. Val Caniparoli is one of the most sought after American choreographers in the United States and abroad and has created ballets for more than 35 companies.
The Winds of Zephyrus by Edwaard Liang
First created for SDT in 2011, The Winds of Zephyrus brings contemporary dance to stratospheric heights with dancers portraying the wind in all its forms. Winner of the Prince Prize Grant for Choreography and the Choo San Goh Award for Choreography, Edwaard Liang’s pieces have been performed all around the world by leading dance companies.
Performance Line up 25 – 27 July
Allegro Brillante by George Balanchine
Choreographed in 1956, Allegro Brillante by George Balanchine demonstrates the dramatic possibilities inherent in pure dance when coupled with the Russian romanticism of Tchaikovsky’s score. The music’s vigorous pace makes the steps appear even more difficult, but the ballet relies on strong dancing, precise timing, and breadth of gesture. Balanchine once said of the ballet, ‘It contains everything I know about the classical ballet in 13 minutes.’
Bittersweet by Natalie Weir
A world premiere by Natalie Weir, also performed at Ballet Under the Stars from 18 – 20 July.
Theme and Variations by George Balanchine
The legendary George Balanchine’s Theme and Variations, a company premiere, is a grand masterpiece of ballet. This breath-taking ballet showcases the intensive development of the classic ballet lexicon, featuring a cast of 26 dancers. Performed to Tchaikovsky’s brilliant score, this ballet is a crowd pleaser, offering the audience any number of favourite moments, with dazzling choreography, gorgeous music, spectacular costumes and the remarkable culmination of all these elements on stage in performance.
Opus 25 by Edwaard Liang
Opus 25 is a specially commissioned work for SDT’s 25th Anniversary in 2013, choreographed to showcase the talents of SDT. Danced to a dynamic composition by American composer Michael Torke, the ballet is a grand spectacle, featuring 32 dancers, and brings out the unique attributes and personalities of the dancers in SDT.
Ballet Under The Stars is taking place on 18 – 20 July & 25 – 27 July 2014 at 7.30pm at Fort Canning Green. For more information, please visit www.sistic.com.sgand www.singaporedancetheatre.com.
