Le Quattro Stagioni / The Four Seasons
«I always loved Vivaldi’s Quattro Stagioni so ‘rewriting’ it was like taking an alternative route through a marvellous familiar landscape, and appreciating it like the very first time». (Max Richter)
Vivaldi’s Le Quattro Stagioni, The Four Seasons recomposed by Richter, with contemporary dance: Brixia Musicalis, Elisa Citterio on the violin, and conducting, and the James Wilton Dance ensemble trace out a line linking the past to the present and introducing the future.
Vivaldi’s marvellous piece, the Quattro Stagioni, is played here with original instruments led by an oustanding baroque violinist, Elisa Citterio, at the head of the ensemble Brixia Musicalis, and is given fresh life and new form in Max Richter’s ambitious recomposition. This version has enjoyed world-wide success, projecting this music into the future through dance! James Wilton Dance’s visionary interpretation will leave a deep mark in the memory of those who have the chance to enjoy this total artistic experience.
«I always loved Vivaldi’s Quattro Stagioni so ‘rewriting’ it was like taking an alternative route through a marvellous familiar landscape, and appreciating it like the very first time. […] Everyone loved the result when they heard it, especially young listeners». (Max Richter)
This program comes from the idea of blending Max Richter’s reinterpretation of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons with the baroque style. Richter’s re-composition of Vivaldi’s opera is the inspiration for this contemporary dance performance by the English company James Wilton Dance: The Four Seasons is its fourth show.
The pieces by Giuseppe Valentini and Antonio Vivaldi that introduce the evening are just the first cell in the minimalist music that is Richter’s reference for this re-composition.
The vigor of these composers from the 1600s and 1700s is reproduced with authentic instruments and historically informed techniques. They illustrate the transformation by Richter and the different interpretations: towards the future with contemporary dance and towards the past with an early music ensemble.
Set to Max Richter’s recomposed version of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, the work links each of the seasons of the musical composition to a phase of the universe: from the singularity of the big bang, to expansion, cooling and entropic heat death.
It starts with Spring and the tweet of birds as Sarah Jane is curled up in a ball on the stage – a peaceful stirring as she awakens and finds her feet. And then Wilton joins in for a playful tussle – gradually working up to some impressive acrobatics and combative throws.
The movements get bolder and more expansive with constant fluidity and balletic power. The dancers writhe and contort in symbiotic movements: incredibly hypnotic to watch.
And then all goes dark creating an illusion of floating underwater. It’s dark, surreal and captivating.
The visual highlight is where Taylor appears centre stage, surrounded by hundreds of LED lights to represent the stars in the universe. It is bold, expressive and yet with an apocalyptic mood that seems fitting in the current climate.
Just two dancers on stage – James Wilton and Sarah Jane Taylor, who also choreographed the show together. And it works brilliantly. This is stripped back and visceral storytelling through the human form. Figure-hugging costumes are plain and undistracting, and low key lighting produces powerful bodyscapes as the duo move with fluidity and stamina.
After last year’s success and in response to numerous requests Luca Mosca is back at the Festival. In addition to his explanations of Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, he will accompany us to a rehearsal of the program launching the Festival this August: the concert by Brixia Musicalis, conducted by Elisa Citterio, who is also the solo violinist. The James Wilton Dance company will then offer the public a taste of their version of the recomposed Four Seasons. Vivaldi/Richter.
