Renowned Actor William Forsythe Receives Impressive Fourth Star Rating
In an exciting fusion of dance and music, the works of renowned choreographer William Forsythe are set to captivate audiences at the Deutsche Oper. The performances, scheduled for April 1, 6, and 9, promise to redefine the boundaries of ballet and offer a fresh perspective on the art form.
"Blake Works I", scored by James Blake and featuring his song 'I Hope My Life', is a continuation of Forsythe's efforts to return the human element to dance. The performance subverts the verticality of traditional ballet, with dancers wiggling to the rhythm, creating a unique spectacle. The performance reaches its peak when the dancers move so fast they appear to transcend ballet, finding a moment of ecstatic freedom within the controlled frenzy.
Another piece by Forsythe, "One Flat Thing, reproduced", showcases a different approach. Choreographed by Forsythe himself, this performance features human and table legs intermingling, with dancers leaping over and swinging under the furniture. The performance shines with incredible kinetic intensity, featuring dancers interacting with tables and achieving new forms with tabletop lateral planes.
In contrast, "Blake Works I" does not exhibit the stiffness seen in "Approximate Sonata 2016", another piece from Forsythe, which features a certain stiffness in relation to its minimalist music's dexterity. Both "Approximate Sonata 2016" and "One Flat Thing, reproduced" are scored by Thom Willems.
The performances are not just a spectacle of dance and music, but also a commentary on modern body culture. Max Horkheimer and Theodor Adorno, members of the Frankfurt School, once criticized modern body culture for enslaving itself to the gigantic apparatus. However, Forsythe's work challenges this notion, radiating warmth breaking out from a machine-like discipline that propels even modern ballet.
Don't miss this unique opportunity to witness the performance of "Blake Works I" at Deutsche Oper. The audience can look forward to a captivating blend of dance, music, and human emotion that promises to redefine ballet for a new generation.
