Bregenz Spring

Modern dance in absolute perfection

Star choreographer Angelin Preljocaj was a guest in Bregenz with a company from "CCN d'Aix-en-Provence".(Bild: Ballet Preljocaj)

Three works by French star choreographer Angelin Preljocaj opened the Bregenz Spring 2024 on Saturday. It was an extremely promising start to the dance festival.

Reflecting on traditions is definitely a theme in contemporary dance. This was also the case for Antonin Preljocaj, the French choreographer of Albanian descent, who presented three of his works from different creative periods with his company "CCN d'Aix-en-Provence" at the Festspielhaus Bregenz. It was therefore about his own work tradition, but also about being rooted in religious or social traditions.

The first piece on show was "Annonciation" from 1995, depicting the archangel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary. The action between the two dancers was touchingly simple and loving, and Mary's consent was expressed in their captivatingly synchronized movements. The music came from a tape throughout the evening, here it was a blend of Vivaldi's "Magnificat", electronics and complete silence.

Liveliness and inertia 
This was followed by a contemporary work, "Torpeur" from 2023. But how can you depict "inertia" - the German translation - in a dance? By first celebrating the opposite, namely liveliness, eroticism and rhythm, and then letting this become slower and slower. Finally, the twelve dancers take off their beautiful, light-colored unisex clothes and lie down on the floor to sporadically lift their arms and legs in a gymnastics-like manner. The accompanying music was electronic and ended with a melancholy melody reminiscent of Schubert.

The subjugation of the woman at the wedding
One of the most groundbreaking works of modern classical music inspired Preljocaj to create his choreography "Noces" back in 1989. The ballet cantata "Les Noces" for soloists, choir, four pianos and percussion in Russian was written by Igor Stravinsky in 1917 for the Parisian "Ballet russe", where it was performed in 1923. The work refers to the traditional wedding customs of Eastern Europe. In his choreography, Preljocaj has multiplied the acting bridal couple and focused the action on the subjugation of the woman. The now five couples dance in a fast-paced, energetic and often synchronized manner, their message touching, thought-provoking and moving.

Great dance performances
Music lovers would have liked to know which recording was played, as it was remarkably authentic. The dancers also deserved to be mentioned by name in the program, as each and every one of them was magnificent, virtuosic and incredibly precise. Four more ballet guest performances can be experienced at Bregenz Spring until the end of May, as well as the "aktionstheater ensemble" by Martin Gruber and, above all, the spectacular world premiere of the musical-choreographic work "The People United" with star pianist Igor Levit.