French contemporary ballet ‘The Season’ to have VN premiere

HÀ NỘI – Artists from the French national choreographic centre Malandain Ballet Biarritz – one of the leading companies in the French choreographic scene – will stage the ballet The Season in Hà Nội next month.

Hosted by the Hồ Gươm Opera Theatre, previously hailed as one of the ‘Top 10 Most Outstanding Opera Houses in the World’ this is the first time the ballet has been staged in Việt Nam.

Artists of the Malandain Ballet Biarritz perform the contemporary ballet ‘The Season’. Photo courtesy of Malandain Ballet Biarritz

Based on an idea of Director of the Château de Versailles Spectacles, Laurent Brunner and Principal Conductor of the Royal Opera of Versailles, Stefan Plewniak, this production, which was premiered in November 2023, combines Antonio Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons and the leaser-known works of his contemporary and compatriot Giovanni Antonio Guido.

Choreographed by Artistic Director Thierry Malandain, the ballet, which showcases the diversity and richness of contemporary ballet, is a story about the journey of discovering the relationships between humans, between humans and nature and life.

Through the changing seasons, from the freshness of spring, the vibrancy of summer, the romanticism and sometimes the deep contemplation of autumn, to the tranquility and even gloominess of winter, together with the music, the ballet leads the audience into a profound inner world, where the interweaving and interaction between humans take place.

The orchestra of the Royal Opera of Versailles, which was performed at the Hồ Gươm Opera Theatre in April, will come back to accompany the ballet performance of The Season.

Artistic Director Malandain said: “With this production, we not only simply present the art of dance, but also wish to convey a message about the harmony between humans and nature, as well as the range of emotions that the four seasons bring.”

‘The Season’ combines Antonio Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons and the leaser-known works of his contemporary and compatriot Giovanni Antonio Guido. Photo courtesy of Malandain Ballet Biarritz

The harmonious combination of classical music with classical ballet movements blended with contemporary elements creates a unique artistic space, where the audience can feel the interchange between the past and the present, between tradition and modernity.

Founded in 1998 in Biarritz through the initiative of the Ministry of Culture and the city of Biarritz, the Malandain Ballet Biarritz is one of France’s 19 National Choreographic Centres (CCN – Centre Chorégraphique National). It comprises 22 permanent dancers trained in classical technique, expressing contemporary choreographies by Thierry Malandain.

Today, it is one of the most viewed companies in Europe, attracting an average of 100,000 spectators per season and performing nearly 95 shows annually, a third of which are international.

The producer in Việt Nam of the ballet The Season is Thanh Việt Production – a pioneer in the development of cultural and musical events. VNS