Cinderella

While remaining faithful to the dramaturgy of Cinderella and to the score by Prokofiev, Thierry Malandain developed a very personal approach, exploring some themes that he holds dear. «Cendrillon » is the path of a star, a dancing star. Malandain took us on the road to Accomplishment. A road passing through doubt, denial, pain and hope to finally reach light. Through this vision, made of ashes and magic, sometimes tragic, sometimes comical, something quite universal was written.

Thierry Malandain

Last June, the Royal Opera of Versailles was the showcase of Prokofiev’s delightful Cinderella by Thierry Malandain, one of the rare French choreographers who work in the field of neoclassical ballet. A l’opposé du beau et sombre spectacle sculpté autrefois par Maguy Marin, Thierry Malandain livre une lecture plus lumineuse, où la figure de l’enfant battu n’est pas gommée pour autant… Cendrillon – souvent accompagnée de sa phrase leitmotiv à pincer le cœur – sera souvent au sol, maniant le chiffon dans une gestuelle résignée. But what a vital power when she ran diagonally to storm the stage !

Télérama, Emmanuelle Bouchez • 21st August 2013

Cinderella continues to be an inspiration. One day or another, this tale became a challenge for choreographers, as did the Rite of Spring. Thierry Malandain did not fight against this attraction and the version he gave us, faithful to Prokofiev and his fantastic universe, was a success.

Le Figaro Magazine, François Deletraz • 2d August 2013

[…] Dans la lignée des grandes chorégraphies de Cendrillon, celle créée en 1948 par Frederik Ashton ou celle mise en scène en 1986 par Rudolf Noureev (seule la marâtre y est interprétée par un homme sur pointes), le parti pris de Thierry Malandain trace une voie ni trop agressive ni trop burlesque. Quant à son écriture, dessinée, fluide et inventive sur de solides bases classiques, elle souffle un vent de légèreté et de fraîcheur qui fait planer Cendrillon..

La Scène, Rosita Boisseau • 21th June 2013

A scenery of stilettos toppling over the walls, a Cyr wheel as a carriage and nothing else: dance, everything for dance. Thierry Malandain only relies on it. No colour in his Cinderella which runs during an hour and a half in a scenography rich of only some grey tones. Dance outlines, tells, enchants.

Le Figaro, Ariane Bavelier • 11th June 2013

As for Thierry Malandain, he composed for Cinderella an extremely flowing, brilliant, ethereal, sometimes gossamery, often inventive and always spiritual choreography, performed by remarkable dancers who outstandingly played the roles they were casted in. The ballet company being middle- sized (20 dancers on stage), each of the dancers played an interesting role and performed it with conviction. When you see them on stage, one clearly notices the harmonious working environment of this troupe : and that comes across sensitively on stage. […] One of Thierry Malandain’s virtues is to be fundamentally honest, a quality mostly reflected in his work that proves a search for fairness and eloquence in order to avoid the platitudes and ponderousness of a narrative ballet as far as possible. The whole piece is lively, inventive and sometimes ingenious.

Le Nouvel Observateur, Raphaël de Gubernatis • 7th June 2013

After Rudolf Nureyev, Frederick Ashton or Heinz Spoerli, Thierry Malandain played the role of the white knight, or Prince Charming. Waking up at dawn, this tireless worker listened and listened again the notes of the Russian devil. […] As a musician at heart, he managed, as always, to unite sounds and bodies in a common impulse. […] The large stage is surrounded by an audaciously modern, light and somewhat threatening scenery, composed of hundreds of stilettos hung like big black birds under the moonlight. […] Cinderella stands there, with an aura of mystery. The elves and glimmers keep their promises. And here comes already the ball with its huge whirl of black and bright figures, waltzing to Prokofiev’s sharp notes. Despair, love, trust. Never have we seen such strength in this ballet both light and dark. Except for Maguy Marin’s version. And like Maguy Marin, Thierry Malandain had a good reason to wake up the little cinder girl.

L’Express, Laurence Liban • 27th May 2013