Sylvie Guillem world premiere

Posted on March 18, 2011

Sadler’s Wells has announced the world premiere of a programme devised and performed by Sylvie Guillem (pictured). The French ballerina will star in an evening of works by Mats Ek, William Forsythe and Jirí Kylián.

Forsythe will create a new duet for Guillem and Paris Opéra étoile Nicolas Le Riche, with a commissioned score by David Morrow. Ajö (“Bye”), Ek’s latest solo for Guillem, is danced to Beethoven’s last piano sonata. Ek said that the work is “about a woman who takes leave of a certain stage in her life. It is a conversation that she has with herself that leads to new experiences.” It features interactive video by designer Katrin Brännström. Kylián has chosen to create a film for the evening, working with filmmaker Jason Akira Somma, with whom he worked as a Rolex Mentor. It features Guillem and Sabine Kupferberg. The evening will also include a duet from Kylián’s 27’52”, performed by dancers chosen by the choreographer.

The programme, a co-production with Holland Dance Festival, will be performed at Sadler’s Wells from July 5–9, 2011. Tickets are now on sale from 0844 412 4300 or sadlerswells.com.

Zoe Anderson

Zoë was born in Edinburgh, and saw her first dance performances at the Festival there. She is the dance critic of The Independent, and has also written for The Independent on Sunday, The Scotsman and Dancing Times. In 2002, she received her doctorate from the University of York for a thesis on “Nationhood and epic romance: Ariosto, Sidney, Spenser”. She is the author of The Royal Ballet: 75 Years and The Ballet Lover’s Companion.