The rain and gusty wind set the mood of unrest on Thursday night, May 23rd, as people scurried to the Sony Centre for Performing Arts for the debut of “Rodin” by Eifman’s St.Petersburg Ballet.
The Ballet premiered for the first time in November 2011 and since then has toured Europe, Australia, China, Russia, the US and is now gracing Canada in Toronto.
Turbulence rules the story of passion and genius between Auguste Rodin (famous French sculptor, most commonly known for creating The Thinker) and his muse, lover and mistress, Camille Claudel.
Boris Eifman represents their story as well as Rodin's work with the same complexity and depth as the sculptor’s creative technique.
The light direction by Gleb Flishtinksy and Eifman is exquisitely Carravagesque and allows you to touch the rilievo of the pale bodies with your eyes as Rodin molds and contorts his live models on stage.
Eifman’s choreography is rigid and raw like an untamed heap of matter that is then carefully transformed into a strong and sensual stream of movements by the master’s touch, and at moments blooms with sexuality, allusive to Rodin’s Iris.
The dance style is psychological and tells a back-story of madness, despair and betrayal as we pop in and out of Claudel’s frantic episodes of paranoia throughout the performance.
“Rodin” is an intensely compelling story of the struggle that two artists and lovers live throughout their creative process and how it manifests into instants of rapture, jealousy, and ultimately crosses the Gates of Hell into insanity.
Who was the real genius and Eternal Idol? I'll leave that up to you to decide.
Article by Mae Garcia