It took a few years for Crystal Pite to become one of the most prominent choreographers, and her visits to the Opéra Garnier are no strangers to this.
Working with one of the best troupes in the world gave him the international aura that all creators dream of.
The Ballet had commissioned a small piece from her in 2016 entitled
The Seasons' Canon,
which earned the Canadian acclaim from the public and critics.
This is why Aurélie Dupont decided to order a new creation from him two years ago, this time intended to occupy an entire evening.
Body and Soul *
was a huge success, which explains its revival in 2022 for around fifteen performances.
Read alsoParis Opera: the very timid reform of Alexander Neef
The evening is structured in three very different acts.
The first, breathtaking, revolves as often with Crystal Pite around the confrontation between the individual and the group.
The visual effects are impressive and the play of light particularly studied.
It's because the choreographer gives the advantage to illusion rather than performance.
We remain fascinated by these body movements imitating the undulations of the waves of the sea. The second act is more conventional, and seems to be modeled on
The Nutcracker
with, here on
Chopin's
Preludes
, a succession of about fifteen solos, duets and group effects.
We find there the distant influence of William Forsythe, with whom she worked, particularly around the theme of gravity.
The end of the ballet gives way to pointe dancers dressed in shiny jumpsuits, straight out of
Star Trek
, and ends in musical comedy mode.
Superb.
* Until February 20.
