Forsythe Evening

Ages 8 and up

The dancers of the CCN - Rhine National Opera Ballet bring to life three major works by the American choreographer William Forsythe—a celebration of jubilant modernity.

Created between 1989 and 1996 for the Frankfurt Ballet, Quintett, Trio, and Enemy in the Figure share a powerful relationship between music and the complex vocabulary of movement —hallmarks of a choreographer who profoundly influenced the history of his art, notably by integrating modern dance theories into ballet.

Enemy in the Figure, a work for 11 dancers, is a hypnotic and radical masterpiece where the angular curves of bodies, the play of shadows, projections on a screen set diagonally across the stage, and ultra-rhythmic electronic music evoke an intense sense of urgency. Softer in tone, Quintett stages a dialogue between an intoxicating choreographic score—a continuous flow of duets, solos, and trios, full of suspension and release—and the poignant refrain of Jesus’ Blood Never Failed Me Yet by Gavin Bryars. The short piece Trio playfully subverts the codes of classical dance, exploring weight shifts and balance to the sound of a Beethoven string quartet—simultaneously graceful yet mischievous.

· Quintett
Choreography: William Forsythe
In collaboration with: Dana Caspersen, Stephen Galloway, Jacopo Godani, Thomas McManus & Jones San Martin
Music: Gavin Bryars
Set and Lighting Design: William Forsythe
Costumes: Stephen Galloway
Performed by: Rhine National Opera Ballet

· Trio
Choreography and Stage Design: William Forsythe
Music: Ludwig van Beethoven
Lighting: Tanja Rühl
Costumes: Stephen Galloway
Performed by: Rhine National Opera Ballet

· Enemy in the Figure
Choreography, Stage Design, Lighting, and Costumes: William Forsythe
Music: Thom Willems
Performed by: Rhine National Opera Ballet