As expected, Frederic Flamand, who recently took over the artistic directorship of the National Ballet of Marseille, delivered the most interesting dance production at this year's Israel Festival
By ORA BRAFMANIsrael Festival
The National Ballet of
Marseille The Radiant City
Choreography: Frederic Flamand
Suzanne Dellal
June 12
As expected, Frederic Flamand, who recently took over the artistic directorship of the National Ballet of Marseille, delivered the most interesting dance production at this year's Israel Festival.
His fascination with the relationship between the urban landscape and its inhabitants brought about a series of works that deal in dance terms with body, movement, space, and light - a result of his ongoing dialogue with influential architects.
Contributions from his fellow architects helped to establish the work's theoretical foundation as well its physical presence. In The Radiant City, Flamand collaborated with architect Dominique Perrault who was instrumental in designing the elaborate set out of semi-transparent steel- mesh screens on wheels. Innovative video projection on set and dancers' bodies interacting with various lighting effects, illuminated the stage in more ways than one, helping to enrich content as well as form.
It's difficult to mention all the highlights in this production, but among the scenes with the strongest impact was the moment where the dark stage was hit by screened angular lines to appear like a shower of lightning strikes above the dancers.
The renewed company, judging by this work, is young and energetic, but has yet to find its sense of unity as an ensemble.
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