In 1947 Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) set to music the famous theme about Orpheus, which served as a starting point for this new ballet choreography, and in a way also continues – after the staging of the Gluck’s and Offenbach’s works as well as the original music project, signed by Karmina Šilec -, the dramaturgical line, we were following in our previous seasons. In his neoclassical pieces Stravinsky was often enthused as by the musical styles of previous centuries as well as by the classical Greek mythology. When studying Monteverdi’s music seventy years ago, he also came across the story about Orpheus, which he intertwined into his ballet composition. With this work he created in his recognisable style and in close collaboration with the famous choreographer George Balanchine an entirely individual and original work of art. Beside the new choreography, conceived specially for our ballet ensemble, we will be able to get acquainted for the first time with the work and artistic potential of a young Belgian choreographer Jeroen Verbruggen (1983), who is currently present on all the important dance stages around the world.

The evening with Orpheus consists of the three parts that could function as entirely independent wholes. This was the main starting point for the conception of the ballet evening - creation of the formula of the Orphic Hymn, whose main elements are: Air - Gravity - Abyss.

LYRE
Orpheus and Eurydice are born in the Universe of the Divine – in the World of Gods, Goddesses and Muses -, where eternal love, innocence and the infinity of pure are tuned with the beauty of poetry and music. Here the young couple’s first etheric loving touch turns from passion into reality …

GRAVITY
Nymph Eurydice, deeply connected to her tree, creates her love life with Orpheus in a secure forest of Nymphs.
Temptation is always around, as well as the threat of destiny.
When the tree dies, the Nymph dies with it as well.

How many deaths do we have to experience, before we really die?
When is the memory of us forgotten?
When no one looks back at you.

ABYSS
My lyre must always play,
as without music
we are nothing.

We knead the shapes
out of nothing,
tunes
out of silence,
love
out of hate -
music that lasts forever.
The Storyteller

I give you the ingredients of my poetry to create your own Orphyc Hymn.