Notes and Editorial Reviews
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Alain Platel
C(H)OEURS
les ballets C de la B
Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra
(chorus master: Andrés Máspero)
Marc Piollet, conductor
Alain Platel, stage director, choreographer, set designer
Dorine Demuynck, costume designer
Carlo Bourguignon, lighting designer
Music:
Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner
with additional music by Steven Prengels
Recorded live at Teatro Real, Madrid, 16 and 17 March 2012
Bonus:
- Choeurs and coeurs – Insights from Alan Platel and the creative team
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Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: LPCM Stereo / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian
Running time: 129 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)
R E V I E W: 3645130.zz7_C_H_RS_Marc.html
C(H)ŒRS • Marc Piollet, cond; Alain Platel (choreographer, director); Ch & O of Teatro Real, Madrid; Dancers • TEATRO REAL TR97013DVD (DVD: 129:00 Text and Translation)
C(h)œurs is a combination word to blend choirs and hearts. The concept behind C(h)œurs is unique, and it will appeal to some listeners and viewers and probably repel others. The music strings together orchestral and choral works of Verdi and Wagner, quite beautifully performed by the Madrid Teatro Real Chorus and Orchestra under Piollet’s sensitive leadership. This is combined with large scale modern dance. The artistic voice behind the project is Alain Platel, who is defined not only as choreographer and director, but also stage designer. The note on the box says “…in a spectacular presentation of excerpts from Verdi’s and Wagner’s distinct works. Each musical piece blends seamlessly into the next, drawn by the actions of the individuals and groups through the expressiveness of their singing and movement.” In truth, the blending is anything but “seamless;” often pieces of Verdi and Wagner are separated by rhythmic stomping and clapping by the dancers, and/or by modern pop-style music that jars one expecting the next operatic chorus.
The dancers include the chorus as well as professional dancers—and at times the stage is rather full. What does it all mean? I think it doesn’t mean anything specific—but rather is an attempt to show the value of blending individualism and group behavior into an artistic whole. That at least seems to be the point made in the accompanying notes, which are excellent and very helpful. Those notes end this way: “The search for unity without loss of individuality, for policies without the loss of privacy, for eloquence in spite of speech problems, this is the search that predominates C(h)œurs.” And indeed, that is what is conveyed—sometimes there is one dancer on stage, or perhaps two; at other times, a horde. Some of the dancers are professional, some are amateurs. Much of the choreography seems to involve jerky movements, or trembling—little of it is classically beautiful dancing in a traditional manner. But I found the experience moving —it held me throughout, and did so again on a second viewing. This is a provocative, even daring DVD, but one worth exploring by the adventurous.
FANFARE: Henry Fogel Read less
Works on This Recording
1.
Work(s) by Giuseppe Verdi
Conductor:
Marc Piollet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Madrid Teatro Real Orchestra,
Madrid Teatro Real Chorus
Period: Romantic
2.
Work(s) by Richard Wagner
Conductor:
Marc Piollet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Madrid Teatro Real Orchestra,
Madrid Teatro Real Chorus
Period: Romantic
Written: Germany
3.
Work(s) by Steven Prengels
Conductor:
Marc Piollet
Orchestra/Ensemble:
Madrid Teatro Real Orchestra,
Madrid Teatro Real Chorus
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