Dance
- Date:
14
and 15
October, 8 p.m.
- Duration: 105 min
- Hall: Main Auditorium
The Béjart Ballet celebrates youth by dancing to the rhythm of Queen and Mozart
Maurice Béjart revolutionized dance, extending the art to audiences which, until then, viewed it as alien. To democratise and free it of the image of an elitist art form reserved for minorities, Béjart, a brilliant chorographer who aspired to a total, eclectic and cosmopolitan art, did not hesitate to combine different elements which were, apparently, opposing. For example, the music of Mozart with that of Queen. This is what happened with Ballet for Life. It was conceived in 1966 as a double tribute to singer Freddie Mercury and Argentine dancer Jorge Donn -principal dancer of the Ballet del Siglo XX and the Béjart Ballet Lausanne- , both of whom died of AIDS at the age of 45. Béjart pays tribute to them with a ballet which does not centre on the pain or tragedy of grief, but rather invokes youth and hope.
“A love story to the music of Queen. Creativity, violence, humour, love: it is all there. I love this group. It inspires and guides me, at times through a no man’s land where we will all go some day and where, I am sure, Freddie Mercury is playing a piano duet with Mozart”. Maurice Béjart
Gil Roman, Artistic Director of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne since the death of its founder in 2007, continues perpetuating the repertory of the company and enriching it with his creations.
- Artistic director: Gil Roman
- Choreography: Maurice Béjart
- Music: Queen, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
- Costume design: Gianni Versace
- Lighting design: Clément Cayrol
- Lights: Dominique Roman
- Video: Germaine Cohen
Ballet for Life © BBL - François Paolini
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Artistic director
Gil Roman
Trained by Marika Besobrasova, Rosella Hightower and José Ferran. After having performed the most well known ballets of choreographer Maurice Béjart for nearly thirty years, Béjart named him as his successor to lead Béjart Ballet Lausanne in 2007.
© BBL - Philippe Pache
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Choreography
Maurice Béjart
From the Ballets de l'Étoile in Paris in 1955 to the creation of the Béjart Ballet Lausanne in 1987, this choreographer put his signature forever on the world of dance. Born in Marseille, he began his career as a dancer but would then discover the resources of expressionism in choreography. A theatre director, he also published various books.
©Marcel Imsand-Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
About Béjart Ballet Lausanne
As of its beginnings in 1987, has been a reference point in the world of choreography. From the time he was chosen to succeed Maurice Béjart - the famous choreographer died in 2007 -, Gil Román has led the ballet, perpetuating its artistic excellence
The press says
Ballet for Life, una obra maestra
El Béjart Ballet Lausanne puso en pie al público del teatro de la Maestranza en un largo aplauso inédito desde hace años
Una fastuosa producción rebosante de virtuosismo
El Béjart Ballet Lausanne abrió la temporada de ballet del Teatro de la Maestranza con una fastuosa producción que terminó con un larga y sentida ovación del respetable.