Vor deinem Thron
Bach danced
Die Kunst der Fuge is the last fugue Bach composed, though he never completed it. The chorale Vor deinem Thron is often played to round off the fugue. Claire Croizé and conductor Frank Agsteribbe of B’Rock chose it as the title for their first joint venture. Together, the young choreographer and dancer and twelve musicians stage a dialogue between three elements: dance, lighting (designed by Jan Maertens) and live music. Vor deinem Thron is based on a multitude of voices. The performance is also defined by the musical principle of counterpoint: just as each musician plays one or more parts, so light and dance are each given their own part.
• Claire Croizé (PARTS, 2000) is known for her successful dance performances, Affected and The Farewell, in which she was inspired by Mahler’s music. In 2009 she was awarded the Prix Jardin d'Europe, the European prize for young choreographers, for her solo The Farewell. Kaaitheater and the Klarafestival commissioned Croizé and the baroque orchestra B’Rock to make Vor deinem Thron.
Extra: late night concert
On Saturday, September 11th, Kaaitheater and KlaraFestival present a free late night concert: Champ d’Action performs Kindertotenlieder revisited.
Press quotes on The Farewell
‘Claire Croizé vindt in haar solo een evenwicht tussen dans, licht en muziek, waarbij alle componenten evenwaardig zijn.’ – De Standaard
‘Croizé laat het publiek even beduusd achter, onder de indruk van de maturiteit van deze jonge vrouw, in dapper dansend gesprek met de imposante Mahler.’ – Etcetera
music Johann Sebastian Bach | excerpts from Das Musikalische Opfer, Die Kunst der Fuge, Cantate #12 and Cantate #21 (Ich hatte viel Bekümmernis) | choreography & dance Claire Croizé | musical direction Frank Agsteribbe | live music B’Rock | light design Jan Maertens | costumes Britt Angé | dramaturgy and artistic advice Etienne Guilloteau | musical advice Alain Franco | production Action Scénique & B’Rock | co-production Festival van Vlaanderen Brussel, KlaraFestival, Kaaitheater, Rotterdam Philharmonic Gergiev Festival, B’Rock & Action Scénique | support Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie | thanks to Ultima Vez, Kunstencentrum BUDA
