The Northern Ballet’s Autumn 2024 triple bill premiered on Friday night at Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre.
The triple bill offers a refreshing mix of an acclaimed modern classical ballet and two world premières.
The night opened with Rudi van Dantzig’s 1977 Four Last Songs, comprising four pas de deux – each offering a different take on ‘melancholy,’ precipitated by the acceptance of life coming to an end.
The engine at the heart of the piece is Richard Strauss’ striking score of the same name. Published posthumously, Four Last Songs is one of the composer’s last works, conveying his own reflection on life threatened by the imminent approach of death.
Four Last Songs is a reminder of the transience of life as much as its expiry, as the country backdrop it’s set against is reminiscent of life’s seasons – changing from a sun-lit scene, through increasingly darker purples, to a warm, red sunset in the last of the four songs.
Each pas de deux has a unique flair and communicates different emotions – from love, tenderness and camaraderie to hints of discord, detachment and uncoupling – the perception of which is ultimately in the eye of the beholder. This effect is achieved through van Dantzig’s clever choreography as well as the excellent performances by the four pairs – Saeka Shirai and Harris Beattie, Dominique Larose and George Liang, Sarah Chun and Jonathan Hanks, Amber Lewis and Jackson Dwyer – each bringing different emotive palettes to the forefront.
Despite these subtle differences in emotional charge, the four pas de deux are united by a common thread, physically embodied by an ‘Angel’ character – a soloist (Bruno Serraclara) who makes frequent appearances on stage to guide each pair towards the inevitable end and eventually brings them all together to transport them to the great beyond.
Through a perfect pairing of Strauss’ music, van Dantzig’s choreography, Toer van Schayk’s designs and the cast’s superb delivery, Four Last Songs makes for a gripping expression of the human experience at the end of one’s life journey that picks up not only on the tragic sense of loss but also the peace of acceptance at the end of a life well lived.
The dramatic opening was followed by the dynamic Victory Dance set to Ezra Collective’s fast-paced jazzy / Latin track of the same name that deliveredinstant cool vibes. It was a welcome, albeit sharp, shift in the theatre’s
atmosphere that felt like the jolt of a fresh cup of espresso in the morning. The track’s energy was matched by explosive performances of Joe Powell-Main – a dancer on wheels and crutches – Kevin Poeung, and Yu Wakizuka Powell-Main’s wheelchair, seamlessly integrated into Kristen McNally’s imaginative choreography as a prop, was put to work by the trio to strike quirky shapes, spin and speed across the stage, until it is ultimately abandoned towards the end. The dynamic choreography and rhythmic music made for a joyful exploration of movement. As described by McNally, this short but memorable performance felt like ‘a moment of celebration.’
The final bite-sized offering of the night was Fools, choreographed by Olivier Award winner Mthuthuzeli Novembe. It is inspired by R.l. Peteni’s novel Hill of Fools – a tale of forbidden love and tragedy amid tribal feuds, set in rural South Africa. The story of Zuziwe (Sarah Chun), a girl from the Hlubi tribe, who falls in love with Bhuqa (Harris Beattie) a young man from the rivalThembu – a union that is very much frowned upon by the Hlubi clan lead (Antoni Cañellas Artigues), is helpfully introduced through a radio narration at the start. Even though it immediately rings a bell as a mirror image of Romeo and Juliet, the piece feels fresh and original as it unfolds in a completely different setting.
Instant immersion and authentic feel are guaranteed by virtue of the unison of set (Mthuthuzeli November and Steve Wilkins), lighting (Alastair West), costume design (Yann Seabra), and music and soundscape (Alex Wilson & Mthuthuzeli November) that transported me straight to Wakanda.
This action-packed, dramatic ballet showcases the exceptional talents of the Company’s dancers, who make the fusion of ballet and African dance look seamless and easy. Chun is graceful and utterly believable in her emotional portrayal of Zuziwe, while Beattie and Artigues deliver showstopping duels between the two central male characters, culminating in the tale’s tragic end.
November’s Fools, featuring his trademark fusion of dance styles, is organic, captivating and electric, making it a must-see modern dramatic ballet.
Northern Ballet’s triple bill brings together three stellar pieces of contemporary ballet that will easily appeal to the less experienced and ballet connoisseurs alike.
Three Short Ballets is at Leeds Stanley & Audrey Burton Theatre until 14 September 2024, then touring. Tickets
are available to purchase here.
Photography by Emily Nuttall unless otherwise captioned. Main image: Four Last Songs – Saeka Shirai and Harris Beattie, Dominique Larose and George Liang, Sarah Chun and Jonathan Hanks, Amber Lewis and Jackson Dwyer.
