7 May
Gala of the Princess Grace Academy on 26 and 27 June 2015
The Princess Grace Academy's end-of-year show will take place in the Salle Garnier at the Monte-Carlo Opera. Students and teachers will take part in a high-quality artistic project.
The Compagnie des Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Monaco Dance Forum and the Princess Grace Academy have been grouped together in a single structure.
Since this grouping, the professionalism of the Princess Grace Academy's Gala has become apparent.
This reorganisation (one company, one festival, one school) was undertaken in line with the wishes of H.R.H. the Princess of Hanover and Jean-Christophe Maillot. Once again, the results promise to be spectacular – this year, the theme of the gala will be Swan Lake.
This ballet is perhaps the most famous of all ballets. It is an iconic work that transcends all styles of dance. Countless versions have been created by choreographers with a variety of different approaches.
For the students and future professional dancers of the Academy, studying the way this legendary work has developed encapsulates everything they have learned.
Luca Masala, Directory of Artistic Education and Pedagogy, and all the artistic staff of the Princess Grace Academy have risen to the challenge of putting on a student show that will enable the audience to travel from one "Lake" to another.
Lev Ivanov's version will definitely be among those presented. His "White Act" alone symbolises the art of dance, etching the image of the female ballet dancer in our memories; even those who have never been to a ballet are familiar with "Swan Lake" because of this version.
Since then, much thought has been devoted to this ballet. Mats Ek offered an original version that helped to make this a modern work that is relevant to the present. The students of the Academy will draw on their talent to perform some extracts for us.
In 2011, Jean-Christophe Maillot, Choreographer and Director of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, created LAC, a chiaroscuro version that puts narrative at the heart of the work. In this work, he addresses the transition from the animal to the human state by exploring our night terrors. The ballet has since been performed all over the world and has been a great success.
Finally, in homage to this constantly evolving work, which numerous choreographers interpret every year, the Academy's students will have a unique opportunity to perform a work created especially for them by choreographer Marco Goecke, a regular guest artist of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo.
Various different and unexpected styles (including flamenco) will also be offered.
In the various works, Luca Masala has called upon Gaëtan Morlotti, performing artist and former soloist of the Ballets de Monte-Carlo, to play the role of Rothbart; this will be the underlying thread linking the different versions. The audience will be invited to share the emotions, thoughts and dreams that the students of the Princess Grace Academy experience each year. Once again, the students will be accompanied by the Monte-Carlo International Youth Orchestra, who impressed the audience last year with their maturity and the high quality of their performance.
Gala of the Princess Grace Academy
Salle Garnier - Monte-Carlo Opera
26 and 27 June 2015
With the participation of the Monte-Carlo International Youth Orchestra
For further information, see www.balletsdemontecarlo.com