Symphony of Sorrowful Songs
Deutsche Staatsoper Unter den Linden, Berlin 2010

A contemporary ballet based on H. Gorecki's "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs"

Choreographer: Ronald Savkovic
Director: Tomaž Pandur
Soloist: Vladimir Malakhov


For the ballet performance "Symphony of Sorrowful Songs" we used elements of generic theatrical infrastructure -legs and borders- to create a set design which minimally interferes with the movement of the dancers. Leaving enough room for choreography is an essential aspect of scenographic approach to ballet, suggesting the use of surfaces rather than volumes, as well as a restricted spatial projection.

In this setting, the standard elements of legs and borders are animated into synchronized movement, creating a sequence of dynamic forms contrasted by the background. The background changes from brightly lit to black depending on the illumination of the moving panels. These panels are made of thin planks of old wood attached to the aluminium substructure. The entire process is coordinated by computer software allowing for a seamless movement of all elements that appear to act as a single mechanism. The layering of the moving elements facilitates switching between scenes, montage cuts and entrances and exits of the dancers.

Index