La Belle et la Bête | Malandain Ballet

Beauty and the Beast Malandain / Tchaïkovski

video photos

Without revisiting all of the tale’s interpretations, a coming-of-age story can be detected designed to resolve the duality of being, with Belle embodying the human soul and the Beast being its life force and instincts.

With Jean Cocteau, whose film appeared in cinemas in 1946, the focus is on the portrayal of the artist’s inner demons through the Beast’s duality.

Whether it be lost unity or human nature torn apart, accompanied by Tchaikovsky’s symphonic works, our version of the Beast, freed from his inner demons, marries Belle under a blazing sun.

Thierry Malandain

Preview
with the Basque National Orchestra
Versailles – Opéra Royal
 11, 12 and 13 december 2015

creation / French premiere
Lyon - 17a Biennale de la Danse
Amphithéâtre Cité Internationale
16,17,18 september 2016

Music Piotr Ilitch Tchaikovski
Choreography Thierry Malandain
Set and costumes Jorge Gallardo
Lighting design Francis Mannaert
Dressmaker Véronique Murat
Set production Frédéric Vadé
Masks production Annie Onchalo

Coproduction Opéra Royal / Château de Versailles Spectacles, Biennale de la danse de Lyon 2016, Opéra de St Etienne, Ballet T - Teatro Victoria Eugenia Donostia / San Sebastián

Partners Donostia / San Sebastián Capitale Européenne de la Culture 2016, Orchestre Symphonique d’Euskadi, Opéra de Reims, Opéra de Vichy, Teatro Mayor Bogota - Colombie, Fondazione Teatro Communale Città di Vicenza - Italie, Dance Open Festival de Saint Petersbourg - Russie, Teatros del Canal Madrid – Espagne, Théâtre Equilibre de Fribourg - Suisse, Théâtre Olympia d’Arcachon

Lenght 77'

Ballet for 22 dancers

document (pdf) download

The choreography, remarkably adapted to music fits like a glove and is brimming with amazingly inventive variations that are clearly visible to any ‘balletomanes’ keen on the art of choreography, but it’s the stage design which unveils the most fascinating strokes of inspiration, demonstrating an exceptional mastery of the art. [...] The piece is indeed punctuated by heaps of little inspirational strokes of this kind, each one more entertaining than the last, always unpretentious, giving a new dimension to this ballet, strewn with bits of humour, which, nevertheless, does not diminish its extreme elegance, and thus confirming the choreographer’s acute sensitivity, wit and talent.

Critiphotodanse, Jean-Marie Gourreau, 13 December 2015

We’re captivated by this duo who are two very different beings, overwhelmed by the delicacy through which their feelings slowly evolve, going from bestiality to affection and sensuality, the Beast’s suffering, his fear of letting himself be tamed and Belle’s fear of being won over, outside of normal criteria for being seduced. [...] From the beautiful and regal Claire Lonchampt, straight out of a romantic novel, to the amazing Mickaël Conte, a powerful Beast with impressive leaps and contagious suffering, as well as the superb precision of Arnaud Mahouy and the expressive power of Frederik Deberdt, Beauty’s father. Talking about Neoclassicism is essential here due to the style of the portés, the dance ensemble patterns, the high-quality of the elegantly traditional costumes, and even the intrusion of a few pointes by little Patricia Velázquez in the role of Love.

Concert classic.com, Jacqueline Thuilleux, 14 December 2015

His play is extraordinarily beautiful, with a myriad of choreographic innovations truly making him France’s leading choreographer.

Le Figaro, Ariane Bavelier, 20 December 2015

Minimalist stage design for virtuoso choreography. Such is this new version of Beauty and the Beast created by Thierry Malandain [...].

Résidences.décorations.com, Serge Gleizes, February 2016

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