2024-09-28 11:28:31
Not only dancers, but also actors, singers and musicians perform on stage in the new ballet production Cyrano de Bergerac, presented by the National Theater in Brno. It was staged by the choreographer Jiří Bubeníček, after the premiere on Friday and Saturday at the Janáček Theater, the next reruns will follow on October 23 and 27.
The 49-year-old Jiří Bubeníček was one of the most recognized European dancers, he worked for the longest time in the Hamburg ballet of John Neumeier and the Dresden ballet of the Semper Opera. After ending his active dance career, he devotes himself to choreography.
For the National Theater in Brno, he has now created a new version of the well-known story about a proud swordsman with a big nose who tragically falls in love. The choreographer preserved the plot of the verse drama by the French author Edmond Rostand from 1897. “I consider it important that the story is comprehensible to the audience. We don’t set it in another time or situation,” he says.
In the overall concept, he was inspired by the historical period of the 17th century, in which Cyrano takes place, but he also works with modern dance elements. Even the costumes and the scene do not literally copy the baroque aesthetics, rather they are loosely based on it. The stage was designed by the choreographer’s brother Otto Bubeníček, and Jiří’s wife Nadine Cojocaru designed the costumes.
“The whole composition of the production is important. With my wife Nadina, with whom I prepared the dramaturgy, we decided on baroque music, including some parts with a solo soprano or solo guitarist on stage, and period-inspired costumes. The new production is the inclusion of an actor who recites selected edited verses,” describes Bubeníček.
He chose historical drama because he is attracted by great stories. “I really like to tell a story, so I focus on story ballets,” he notes. As a musical component, he mainly chose compositions by Baroque authors, among whom are Johann Sebastian Bach or Jean-Baptiste Lully, a contemporary and compatriot of the real Cyrano, who lived in the 17th century.
Jiří Bubeníček was one of the most recognized European dancers. | Photo: CTK
The play is about unfulfilled love. The nosy and unattractive swordsman Cyrano falls in love with the beautiful Roxana, who, however, prefers the handsome cadet Kristián. Cyrano wants her to be happy, so he writes letters for Kristián and gives him advice even when he is standing under the girl’s balcony. Younger viewers may know the plot from last year’s film with actor Peter Dinklage.
“I like that Cyrano writes beautiful letters for Kristián, and the two become one soul. Maybe I subconsciously chose it because I’m a twin,” Bubeníček interprets the story, which deals, among other things, with the contrast between inner and outer beauty. At first, Roxana chooses Christian’s physical beauty over the beautiful soul of Cyrano.
Jiří Bubeníček collaborated on the project with the ballet company of the National Theater in Brno, in which the significant majority are foreigners. When he himself went abroad three decades ago, basically only Czechs and Slovaks danced on Czech stages. Now the situation is different and Czech schools should think about how to re-educate more internationally competitive artists, thinks Bubeníček.
In the coming months, Jiří Bubeníček is going to, for example, Gera in Germany, where he will prepare a ballet about music composer Sergei Rachmaninoff.
Later, they head to Rome, where they plan to revive his production of Carmen and take it on tour to Paris. “I will definitely not miss that and will go with them,” concludes the choreographer.