Kaguyahime is one of Japan’s oldest fairytales. The story of the mysterious Moon Princess inspired Jirí Kylián to create a full-length ballet and to commission a score from the Japanese composer Maki Ishii. Through ist use of western percussion instruments and Japanese drums, the work combines both occidental and oriental elements, ist rhythmic vitality providing a musical structure for the poetic tale. Woodwind instruments extend the tonal colour, as does the use of traditional Gagaku music from the Japanese court.
When Jirí Kylián first discovered the fairytale, he found two compelling reasons to choreograph it. First, he was interested in the way the story combines realistic and supernatural elements as only fairytales can; and secondly, he was fascinated by what the tale reveals of Japanese culture through the interplay of the earth and the moon.
An invitation to attend a large gathering of Aboriginal dancers in Australia fuelled Jiri Kylián’s abiding interest in their traditions. Film of his experience there, together with footage of the work it inspired him to undertake with the Nederlands Dans Theater, form an introduction to a studio recording of the stunning ballet that resulted: Stamping Ground. This stunningly innovative and athletic piece of choreography is danced to music by Carlos Chavez.
This performance is also available with a documentary introduction, Road To The Stamping Ground.
Czech choreographer Jiri Kylián was moved to create Torso by the plight of the Russian dancers, Valery and Galina Panov, who found asylum in Israel. His own experience of being cut off from his homeland, after the Dubcek regime was crushed, has been a lasting influence on his work. This ballet, set to music by Toru Takemitsu, and dedicated to all in exile, expresses a profound feeling of dislocation. Sabine Kupferberg and Leigh Warren feature in this studio recording.
