Le sacre du printemps

• Choreography: Petr Zuska
• Music: Igor Stravinsky
• Costumes: Lucie Loosová
• Sets: Jan Dušek
• Light design: Petr Zuska
• Duration: 35 min.
• Number of dancers: 18
• World premiere: 12. 2. 2010 - West Australian ballet
• Czech premiere: 11. 11. 2010 - Czech National Ballet

Igor Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps is inspired by ancient pagan rites, which are barely understandable from the view of contemporary Western civilisation. Nevertheless, when we peep beneath the surface of long gone weird customs and practises, we realise that they have actually evolved from the basic pillar of our human substance and rules, the questions and mysteries of existence in general. This opens a space of metaphysical dimensions, and thus also an overreach to any era, ethics and culture. The choreography, sets and lighting design of my conception of Le sacre du printemps constitute and combine the essences of the two, seemingly different views. Touches of Stravinsky and Roerich’s specific inspiration on the one hand, and the aspects of the ampler, more abstract symbolism on the other. The latter was for me the very “key” to the delving into the subject.

Accordingly, I did not feel like overly occupying myself with the rite itself, rather being prepossessed with its core in broader connections. With a few exceptions, as regards the music, I also deviated from the original scenario, that is, the contentual-narrative segmentation of the individual parts and movements, instead letting myself be led by the inner images, feelings and emotions, which the extraordinary music aroused within me.

Foto: Pavel Hejný, Hana Smejkalová