Pina Bausch’s opera dansé, Orpheus and Eurydice, is representative of the choreographer’s early work and reflects her grounding in the German expressionist dance tradition whose heir she is. Rendering Gluck’s dramatic landscape vibrantly three-dimensional, Bausch’s direction assigns equal weight to dance and song in a dialogue which quickens all our senses. Inspired by the tragic tale of Orpheus, the choreography is not afraid to summon fear, depression, desperation and pain onto the stage from the very start. Alternating mournful ensemble frescos of great plastic power with solos and duets exuding a dense energy, her choreography produces dance that is vibrant and expressive and communicates the truth and purity of movement that draws on the inner self.
A rare invitation from the ‘priestess of the grieving body’ to enjoy this exquisite collaboration between the superb dancers of the Paris Opera Ballet, the only company to which the choreographer has entrusted this classic masterpiece, and the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble and Choir in the ancient theatre of Epidaurus.
In German

Βallet de l' Opera National de Paris
Dance Direction
Brigitte Lefèvre
Music
Christoph Willibald Gluck
Choreography and direction
Pina Bausch (1975)
Sets, Costumes and Lighting Design
Rolf Borzik
Conducted by
Thomas Hengelbrock
With the Balthasar Neumann Ensemble and Choir
Chorus Master
Detlef Bratschke
Assistant Choreographers
Malou Airaudo, Mariko Aoyama, Bénédicte Billet, Josephine-Ann Endicott, Dominique Mercy
Costumes
Marion Cito
Lighting
Madjid Hakini
Cast
Orphée: Yann Bridard (dance) / Maria Riccarda Wesseling (song)
Eurydice: Marie-Agnès Gillot (dance) / Svetlana Doneva (song)
Cupid: Miteki Kudo (dance) / Sunhae Im (song)
FIRST PART
MOURNING
Emilie Cozette, Eve Grinsztajn, Muriel Zusperreguy, Caroline Bance, Miteki Kudo, Alice Renavand, Amélie Lamoureux, Séverine Westermann, Christelle Granier, Charlotte Ranson, Natacha Gilles, Marie-Isabelle Peracchi, Bruno Bouché, Vincent Chaillet, Vincent Cordier, Nicolas Paul, Sébastien Bertaud, Yong-Geol Kim, Alexis Renaud, Erwan Le Roux
SECOND PART
VIOLENCE
Vincent Cordier, Yong-Geol Kim, Alexis Renaud, Emilie Cozette, Eve Grinsztajn, Muriel Zusperreguy, Caroline Bance, Miteki Kudo, Alice Renavand, Amélie Lamoureux, Natacha Gilles, Christelle Granier
Charlotte Ranson, Séverine Westermann, Vincent Chaillet, Erwan Le Roux
THIRD PART
PEACE
Emilie Cozette, Eve Grinsztajn, Muriel Zusperreguy, Caroline Bance, Miteki Kudo, Alice Renavand, Amélie Lamoureux, Christelle Granier, Charlotte Ranson, Séverine Westermann, Natacha Gilles, Marie-Isabelle Peracchi, Bruno Bouché, Vincent Chaillet, Vincent Cordier, Nicolas Paul, Sébastien Bertaud, Yong-Geol Kim, Alexis Renaud, Erwan Le Roux
FOURTH PART
DEATH
Vincent Cordier, Yong-Geol Kim, Alexis Renaud, Emilie Cozette, Eve Grinsztajn, Muriel Zusperreguy, Caroline Bance, Miteki Kudo, Alice Renavand, Amélie Lamoureux, Séverine Westermann, Christelle Granier, Charlotte Ranson
Natacha Gilles, Marie-Isabelle Peracchi, Bruno Bouché, Vincent Chaillet, Sébastien Bertaud, Erwan Le Roux, Daniel Stokes
€50 (Prime Circle); €40 (A’); €30 (Β’); €20 (Upper Tier). Concessions available.