Ballet Maribor's Romeo and Juliet at Jacob's Pillow
Set to Music by Radiohead, July 1-5
By: Ariel Petrova - Jun 15, 2009
After garnering international acclaim, Ballet Maribor's Radio and Juliet makes its way to the United States for a six-performance run at Jacob's Pillow, July 1 – 5. Choreographer Edward Clug's contemporary ballet draws its inspiration from Shakespeare's tragic love story and is set to the music of Radiohead, one of today's most influential alternative rock groups. Romanian-born Clug has received awards for his choreography at ballet festivals worldwide, and his examination of one of ballet's timeless tales continues to mesmerize both audiences and critics alike. When the work was seen in its only other U.S. performances to date this past fall, The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, "Clug's ballet was white hot in a way that Shakespeare could never have imagined."
"This is a beautifully conceived production performed by sleek and gorgeous dancers," comments Ella Baff, Jacob's Pillow Executive Director. "Edward Clug updates Shakespeare's story while remaining faithful to what makes Romeo and Juliet a classic - conflict, drama and romance. And a complex and intriguing score by Radiohead is the icing on the cake. "
Radio and Juliet, a work for six male dancers and one "Juliet," investigates and reworks the tale of Romeo and Juliet. Juliet's delicate interactions with the men, who are emblematic of the idea of pure masculinity, are starkly contrasted with their robust and athletic bursts of virtuosity, exhibited most clearly when they are fighting and falling for the poised Juliet. Fusing sharp, imaginative, and highly technical movement with popular music, Clug creates an atmosphere that is at once urgent and reflective, contemporary in style but also classic in technique. Edward Clug performs in Radio and Juliet alongside Tijuana Krizman, Matjaz Marin, Sergiu Moga, Gaj Zmavc, Tiberiu Marta, and Eugen Dobrescu, all soloists of Ballet Maribor, the national ballet of Slovenia .
Clug's decision to pair Radiohead with Shakespeare was the result of his identifying with the emotional power of the band's dynamic compositions. Video effects add ambiance and help with abstract references to the original story. Clug will speak more about this work in a free hour-long PillowTalk on Saturday, July 4 at 4pm.
Rolling Stone Magazine describes Radiohead's sound as "moody, melodic and explosive, with roots planted firmly in both alternative culture and the art-rock legacy." Since the release of their debut album Pablo Honey in 1993, the band has recorded a total of seven albums and sold more than 25 million records. They are three-time recipients of the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album, honored more recently for the album In Rainbows. The Radio and Juliet score includes "Bullet Proof I Wish I Was," "Fitter Happier," "How to Disappear," and "Idioteque," among others.
Edward Clug was born in Romania in 1973 and began studying classical ballet at age 10 at the National Ballet School in Cluj , Romania . In 1991, he became a soloist for Slovenian National Theatre, a company of drama, opera, and ballet ensembles in Maribor , Slovenia . There he danced in productions of Don Quixote, Swan Lake , Romeo and Juliet, and Carmen, and in 2003 was appointed head of the Ballet Maribor. Clug has received recognition for his work since 1996 when he served as choreographer for the Theatre Maribor's production of Babylon , directed by Tomas Pandur. He has won awards at international dance festivals such as the National Ballet Competition in Ljubljana , Slovenia ; the International Ballet Competition in Nagoya , Japan ; the International Ballet Competition in Moscow ; and Germany 's International Choreographers Competition. In 2005, Clug was awarded the "Preseren Fund," Slovenia 's prestigious acknowledgment of cultural achievement. He and his company have toured Slovenia and abroad, traveling to festivals and venues in countries such as Croatia , Austria , France , Italy , Israel , and Greece .
For more info rmation visit www.jacobspillow.org.
Performance and Ticket Information
Wednesday, July 1 through Saturday, July 4, 8pm.
Saturday, July 4 and Sunday, July 5, 2pm.
· Free Pre-Show Talks with Jacob's Pillow Scholars-in-Residence are offered at Blake's Barn 30 minutes before every performance.
Thursday, July 2, Ballet Maribor performers or artistic personnel will participate in a moderated Post-Show Talk, on stage immediately following the performance.
· Tickets are $58 each, with discounts available for subscribers, seniors, students, and children age 16 and under. Box Office hours: Monday through Saturday, 10am – 6pm, and Sunday 11am – 6pm.To purchase by phone, call the Box Office at 413.243.0745. To order online: www.jacobspillow.org. Pillow Members receive exclusive benefits. To become a Member call 413.243.9919 x24.
Free Events at the Pillow July 1 – 5
PillowTalks in Blake's Barn: Mapping Movement, Wednesday, July 1 at 5pm. Ann Hutchinson Guest, the world's foremost expert on dance notation, and Brenda Connors, strategic researcher for the Naval War College , discuss what the world can learn from analyzing movement. On Saturday, July 4 at 4pm, Edward Clug talks about his work on Radio and Juliet in New Directions for Slovenia and Beyond.
Free Inside/Out performances at 6:30pm: Wednesday, July 1. Dawn Lane, an alumna of The School at Jacob's Pillow, brings together The Moving Company and Berkshire County dancers in a performance of common ground. Dawn Lane & Co.'s performance also showcases third graders from Becket Washington Elementary who will perform Signature Dance, a work learned during a Jacob's Pillow Curriculum in Motion® residency. Curriculum in Motion is a program created by the Pillow in which the choreographic process drives student-directed learning. Thursday, July 2, Cambridge-based Prometheus Dance presents emotionally-charged, theatrical works that use dance to comment upon today's social issues. The Boston Herald calls the group "one of the most intellectually challenging, visually stunning and physically gratifying companies in the area." Friday, July 3, Soul Steps & Youth Alive Step Team uses call and response, storytelling and audience interaction in a high-energy performance. The Youth Alive Step Team, from Pittsfield , Mass. , joins Soul Steps in a frenzy of diverse rhythmic sounds and patterns. Saturday, July 4, The School at Jacob's Pillow—Cultural Traditions: The Hip-Hop Continuum, presents works by Moncell Durden, Marjory Smarth and the legendary Mr. Wiggles. This performance concludes the students' first week of rigorous study under the direction of award-winning choreographer Rennie Harris.
Ongoing Free Exibits: In Blake's Barn, A Dance to Jules Feiffer, an exclusive exhibition created for and debuting at Jacob's Pillow that focuses on the dance imagery of renowned cartoonist and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jules Feiffer and Alvin Ailey: Anniversary Salute which celebrates the 50th anniversary season of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater with rare photographs by John Lindquist and John Van Lund. In the Ted Shawn Theatre lobby, The Art of Merce Cunningham, a tribute to Cunningham's 90th birthday that documents his collaborations with distinctive visual artists with costumes, sketches, posters, and other artifacts from the Merce Cunningham Dance Foundation Archives.
Outsiders, a selection of open-air images of dance at the Pillow including classics by John Lindquist and John Van Lund, in Bakalar Studio, and Tap!, a photography exhibit featuring acclaimed artists such as Jimmy Slyde, Gregory Hines, Savion Glover, Dianne Walker, and others, in the Doris Duke Theatre Lobby.
Other Free Activities
The Archives at Jacob's Pillow allows impromptu visitors to view videos, browse through books, access the Pillow's computer catalog, or peruse permanent collections of Pillow programs and photographs. Pillow Interactive, a popular touch-screen kiosk, provides instant interlinked access to rare film clips ranging from the present day back to the 1930s.
Patrons are always welcome to explore the historic grounds to discover all the reasons why the Pillow was named a National Historic Landmark, with Guided Tours leaving from the Welcome Center every Friday and Saturday at 5:30pm. Self-guided tour maps are available in the Welcome Center .
Visitors can also relax in the historic Tea Garden, where Ted Shawn's Men Dancers welcomed the first Pillow audiences in the 1930s, as they peek into the Bakalar Studio to watch rehearsals; or stroll through several ecological zones on the Wetlands Trail, created as part of the Pillow's responsible stewardship of its 163 acres of rural environment.
Dance Opportunities
Morning Jumpstart Classes offered in Pilates, Ballet, Modern, and Arab-American Tribal Fusion, Mondays through Thursdays at 8am. All experience levels, 16 and older, $8 per class, Ruth St. Denis Studio. Call the Education Hotline at 413.243.9919 x17.
Weekly Master Classes are led by Festival artists Sundays at 10:30am to noon for intermediate and advanced dancers, $15 per class. Pre-registration is required; quiet observation is welcome at no charge. Call the Education Hotline at 413.243.9919 x17.
The School at Jacob's Pillow is open to public observation Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9am–5pm, featuring world renowned faculty at no charge. Interested groups of four or more should confirm space availability by calling 413.243.9919 x17.
Dining
The Pillow Café offers fine dining with wine service under the tent on The Great Lawn. Wednesdays through Saturdays, dinner is served 5–7pm. Reservations are required, call 413.243.2455 after June 15.
The Pillow Pub offers casual family fare, takeout for picnics, and full bar service. Wednesdays through Fridays 5pm–midnight, Saturdays noon–midnight, and Sundays noon–5pm.
The Coffee Bar and Ice Cream Bar are open pre-performance and during intermissions.
Sample menus for each dining venue are available at www.jacobspillow.org. Pillow patrons are also invited to bring picnics and relax at one of many picnic spots on the Pillow grounds.