Perth International Arts Festival -
Mark Morris Dance Group: "Mozart Dances" -
His Majesty's Theatre, 13 February -
“Mozart Dances” is a program of three interlocking dance works, Eleven, Double and Twenty-seven, created by internationally acclaimed choreographer Mark Morris to three Mozart pieces, each in three movements. The program premièred in New York in August 2006. “Mozart Dances”, made in Morris's unique, unaffected style, is all about the music and on its opening night in Perth, this is what lingered most in the memory long after the performance ended.
Morris sets Eleven to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 11 in F major, Double to Mozart's Sonata in D major for Two Pianos and Twenty-seven to Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27 in B-flat major. Accompanying the program, the West Australian Symphony Orchestra musicians were in top form, conducted by New York-based Colin Fowler, with exceptional solo performances by Melbourne-based pianist Amir Farid and Colin Fowler, who joined Farid in the sonata for two pianos.
Designer Howard Hodgkin's distinctive, abstract brushstrokes provide three stunning, theatrical backdrops of large shapes, which are brilliantly lit in ever-changing colours by James Ingalls.
The sixteen barefooted dancers reflected an egalitarian representation of gender, height, and body type. “Mozart Dances” brought with it high expectations and these were realised, although some of the dancing was initially a little insecure probably due to a combination of jet lag after the trip from New York and the pressure of expectation.
Eleven opened the program. After a brief appearance by the men, Eleven features eight women. Their angular arm gestures, expansive arm movements, splayed fingers and the unusual placement of their hands behind their necks find the musical peaks.
The solo sections by Lauren Grant were meticulous. Some tension and unsteadiness caused an occasional lapse in phrasing; the choreography, with its clean simplicity, requires ability, control and a strong centre. But the virtuosity and convention in “Mozart Dances” is in the music, not in the dance, and this is part of its appeal.
Double followed after a short pause and developed into a sort of bonding rite for the eight men. Aaron Loux was remarkable throughout, firstly bare-chested and clad in a baroque-style black frockcoat in what seemed to be a gentle pastiche of Mozart. He then joined the other men in their 3/4 length black breeches and soft grey open shirts. In this section of the work, flying jumps, striding, aching solos and a very moving male duet all convey a dark, more sombre sensibility.
At Double's choreographic heart are circles, curving lines and circular patterns that unfold and continuously re-form. The women in gauzy costumes, with shades of wilis and sylphs from romantic ballets, appear and dance with the men before they join them in a communal circle. This becomes the final arresting scene and ends the first half, drawing loud cheers and prolonged applause from the audience on the night viewed.
Twenty-seven sees the men and women, now in flowing white costumes, together for the final concerto. Prone, they reach upwards with one gesturing arm extended, then dance and frolick together, forming lines and lively circles in the joyous manner of a folk dance complete with thigh slaps and ebullience. Applause erupted when one man leapt jubilantly into the arms of another. The concluding image sees the dancers stand divided, eight on either side of the stage, facing towards each other in an enigmatic gesture.
Morris's abstract neoclassicism effortlessly negotiates the balance, structure, harmony, melody and phrasing in Mozart's music and introduces recurrent motifs in the dance steps. “Mozart Dances” would need to be seen many times in order to be able to adequately recognise all of its subtleties, but it was a pleasure to be part of a large, appreciative audience and absorb the sound of Mozart and the sight of this intensely musical performance inspired by his work.
- Margaret Mercer
Photo: Tanya Voltchanskaya
