Nijinsky Siam (2010)
About Nijinsky Siam
Vaslav Nijinsky, the dance maverick of the legendary Ballet Russes, performed ‘Danse Siamoise’ in the Paris Opera. Exactly 100 years later, Pichet Klunchun, the celebrated Thai dancer, incarnates this forgotten solo dance.
Through careful research, Pichet animates the poses and movement from archival documents on Nijinsky. His version features the original score by composer Christian Sinding, first conducted by Stravinsky. It also recalls the images of the first Thai classical dance troupe that toured Europe in 1900 and deeply impressed many artists, including Diaghlev who founded the Ballet Russes. The historical encounter with Thai classical dance was thus part of the art movement called ‘Orientalism’ which rippled across film, visual arts and other artistic forms.
Pichet summons Nijinsky back on stage by means of paintings, photographs and traditional huge puppets called ‘nang yai’. He invites us to perceive the acts of ‘reconstruction’, ‘reinterpretation’ and ‘reinvention’ of cultures. A sensitive dance dialogue unfolds between both artists – one dead and the other alive. Between shadow and light, life and vitality is re-imagined.
Tour:
- 2010: world premiereatSingapore Arts Festival, Singapore, May 26-27,
- presented at Theater Der Welt 2010, Mülheim, Germany, July 1-3
- presented at The Noorderzon Performing Arts Festival 2010, Groningen, The Netherlands, August 20-21
- presented at MLADI LEVI festival, Ljubljana, Slovenia, August 26
- presented at Zürcher Theater Spektakel, Zurich, Switzerland, August 31, September 1-2
- presented at iDANS International Contemporary Dance and Performance Festival, Istanbul, Turkey, October 22
- 2011: presented at Norfolk & Norwich Festival, Norwich, Unite Kingdom, May 17
- 2012: presented at
- Pequeno Auditório – Sala Eduardo Prado Coelho of Centro Cultural de Belém, Lisbon, Portugal, April 12-13
- Norwegian Opera and Ballet for TrAP Transnational Arts Production, Oslo, Norway October 5-7
- 2013: presented at DanceFestival Barents 2013 at Hammerfest, Norway, November 8-10
Credit:
- Choreographer/Artistic Director/Set Designer: Pichet Klunchun
- Lighting Designer: Jirach, Eaimsa-Ard
- Dancers: Pichet Klunchun, Padung Jumpan, Porramet Maneerat, Kornkarn Rungsawang
- Producer: Tang Fu Kuen
- Production Manager: Sojirat Singholka
- Song: Christian Sinding
- Historical Researchers of Production: Sylvie Dancre and Philippe de Lustrac
Nijinsky Siam was
- a co-production with the Singapore Arts Festival and Theater der Welt 2010
- supported by Zürcher Theater Spektakel and Noorderzon/Grand Theatre Groningen
