 | SADLER’S WELLS AND BARBICAN PRESENT UNPRECEDENTED PINA BAUSCH SEASON IN 2012 Two of the world’s leading cultural organisations, Sadler’s Wells and the Barbican Centre are collaborating for the first time to present an unprecedented season of 10 works by one of the most influential choreographers in dance, Pina Bausch.
The month-long season of international co-productions performed by Tanztheater Wuppertal at Sadler’s Wells and the Barbican in summer 2012 marks a fitting celebration of the Olympic and Paralympic year’s global focus. Seven of the 10 works are UK Premieres. Tickets for the whole season of works are on sale from Monday 9 May 2011.
For Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: World Cities 2012 Sadler’s Wells has, in association with Cultural Industry and the Barbican, with thanks to Wuppertal, North Rhine Westphalia and Arts Council England, commissioned the first ever continuous season of productions by the late Pina Bausch and her company. Running from 6 June to 9 July 2012, the season features 10 international co-productions exploring 10 global locations; India, Brazil, Palermo, Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Budapest, Istanbul, Santiago de Chile, Rome and Japan . Full listings details are below.
Embarked upon by Bausch in 1986, the landmark series of international co-productions were created at the invitation of specific global cities. Living in each city for a period of time, her renowned multinational company would then return to Wuppertal to create a new work inspired by their visit; a choreographic travelogue deeply informed by its host location.
Bausch described her approach and commitment to creating co-productions as, “almost all our pieces have been co-productions, evolved from the meeting of different cultures – whether in Hong Kong, Brazil, Budapest, Palermo, Japan or Istanbul. Getting to know unfamiliar customs, music and traditions led me to transform into dance what is unknown but is part of us all. Getting to know the unknown, sharing it, and experiencing it without fear.”
With their intricate, complex and stunning stage designs by Bausch’s longstanding collaborator Peter Pabst, featuring gigantic tree trunks evoking Californian Redwood forests ( Nur Du , Los Angeles) , a 20-foot-high hill of red silk flowers ( Der Fenzterputzer, Hong Kong) , and an entirely bricked up stage ( Palermo, Palermo, Palermo) , the works will be presented as part of the London 2012 Festival. Ruth McKenzie, director of the Cultural Olympiad, has confirmed that this will be one of the major highlights of the cultural festival leading up to the sporting event. Six works will show at Sadler’s Wells and four at the Barbican.
Dominique Mercy and Robert Sturm, Co-Artistic Directors of Tanztheater Wuppertal comment “ For all the dancers and members of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch, the wonderful invitation to be part of the Cultural Olympiad 2012, is an amazing and outstanding homage to Pina Bausch and a great honour for all of us.”
Alistair Spalding , Sadler’s Wells Chief Executive & Artistic Director , Toni Racklin, Head of Theatre, Barbican and Michael Morris, Director of Cultural Industry comment: "We are thrilled to be working together to realise World Cities, a hugely ambitious cultural event at a time when global attention will be focused on London. Pina Bausch's work is truly Olympian in quality and scale and her legacy continues to influence the global artistic landscape. Pina loved our city and saw the world reflected in it. Her reflections on the world will now be gathered together for the first time in one city - 10 major works performed by her outstanding company in just one month."
Pina Bausch was born in Solingen, 1940 and died in Wuppertal, 2009. She received her dance training at the Folkwang School in Essen under Kurt Jooss, where she achieved technical excellence. Soon after the director of Wuppertal’s theatres Arno Wüstenhöfer engaged her as choreographer, from autumn 1973 she renamed the ensemble Tanztheater Wuppertal. Under this name, Bausch’s initially controversial fusion of radical theatre, surreal art, drama and danced body language, known as Tanztheater, gradually achieved international recognition for the company.
Her original approach to theatre and dance influenced the international development of dance decisively and inspired not only a generation of choreographers, but also theatre makers, visual artists and filmmakers. Awarded some of the greatest prizes and honours world-wide, Pina Bausch is one of the most significant choreographers of our time.
Since her death in 2009 the artistic directorship of Tanztheater Wuppertal has been taken over by Dominique Mercy and Robert Sturm. French-born Dominique Mercy joined Tanztheater Wuppertal as a dancer at its conception in 1973. Robert Sturm’s background is in dramaturgy and directing, and he was engaged by Pina Bausch in 2000 as artistic assistant and rehearsal director.
The international appetite for Pina Bausch’s work is as strong as ever. In 2010 the company’s intense international tour included Athens, Istanbul, Monaco, New York, Barcelona, London and Edinburgh International Festival. This year they will visit Hong Kong, Brazil, Portugal and Paris.
Sadler’s Wells first presented the work of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch in 1982. A 17 year absence followed before Bausch returned with her company in 1999 with Viktor, in 2002 with Masurca Fogo, and in 2005 with Nelken and Palermo, Palermo. In 2008 the company presented her seminal works, Café Müller and The Rite of Spring, followed by a unique performance at Sadler’s Wells Celebrates in November of the same year, marking 10 years since the theatre re-opened. In 2010 they presented the London premiere of the rarely performed Iphigenie auf Tauris.
In 2002 Tanztheater Wuppertal created Kontakthof (Ladies and Gentlemen over 65), a reworking of Bausch’s pioneering piece originally developed in 1978. It was performed at the Barbican that same year and returned there in 2010 in a poignant pairing with its later counterpart Kontakthof (Teenagers over 14).
Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: World Cities 2012
Commissioned by Sadler’s Wells in association with Cultural Industry and the Barbican. With thanks to Wuppertal, North Rhine Westphalia and Arts Council England
LAUNCH EVENT:
Sadler’s Wells, Cultural Industry and the Barbican Centre will host a launch event attended by Salomon Bausch, Wim Wenders, and Peter Pabst on Wednesday 13 April at 6.30pm. Held at the Curzon Mayfair, 38 Curzon Street, W1J 7TY , the evening includes a screening of Wim Wenders’ critically acclaimed film PINA. Spaces are limited, to secure a place please rsvp to abigail.desch@sadlerswells.com or angela.dias@barbican.org.uk by 12pm on Friday 1 April.
Tickets for the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: World Cities 2012 are on sale from Monday 9 May 2011, via www.sadlerswells.com / 0844 412 4300 and www.barbican.org.uk / 0845 120 7550
NOTES TO EDITORS
Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: World Cities 2012 at a glance:
- Viktor (Rome, 1986)
- Nur Du (Only You) (Los Angeles, 1996), UK premiere
- …como el musguito en la piedra, ay si si si…(Santiago de Chile, 2009), UK premiere
- Bamboo Blues (India,2007) , UK premiere
- Der Fenzterputzer (The Window Washer) (Hong Kong, 1997) , UK premiere
- Ten Chi ( Japan , 2004 ), UK premiere
- Néfés (Istanbul, 2003) , UK premiere
- Á gua (Brazil, 2001)
- Palermo , Palermo (Palermo, 1989)
- Wiesenland (Budapest, 2000) , UK premiere
Related Film Screenings:
Shortly before her death in 2009 Pina Bausch began collaborating with acclaimed director Wim Wenders on a unique documentary project, experimenting with new film technology to capture the process of dance on film and creating a benchmark for 3D cinema. Released in the UK on 22 April 2011 through Artificial Eye, the Barbican will also be showing the film from 22 – 28 April 2011.
About Sadler’s Wells
Sadler's Wells is the UK's leading dance house, committed to producing, commissioning and presenting new works and to bringing the very best international and UK dance to London audiences. Under the Artistic Directorship of Alistair Spalding the theatre’s cutting edge programme spans dance in all its forms, from contemporary to flamenco, bollywood to ballet, salsa to street dance and tango to tap. Its international award-winning collaborative productions and commissions include Sutra, zero degrees, and PUSH. Sadler’s Wells also provides a home to world class Associate Artists and Resident Companies including Sylvie Guillem, Akram Khan, Hofesh Shechter, Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures and ZooNation.
Located in Islington in north London, the current theatre is the sixth to have stood on the site since it was first built by Richard Sadler in 1683. The venue has played an illustrious role in the history of theatre ever since with The Royal Ballet, Birmingham Royal Ballet and English National Opera all having started at Sadler’s Wells.
About the Barbican
The Barbican Centre is one of the world’s leading arts centres, founded and run by the City of London Corporation. It provides all the arts - music, theatre, dance, cinema, the visual arts and creative learning - who work together in creating the model of tomorrow’s international arts and learning centre . C ommitted to offering a world-class programme which will inspire, challenge and amaze its audiences , the Barbican is also home to Resident Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, and the Associate Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra. The architecturally renowned Centre, now Grade II listed, opened in 1982, and comprises the 1,949 seat Barbican Hall, the 1,166-seat Barbican Theatre, the 200-seat Pit theatre, a cinema, the Barbican Art Gallery, a second gallery The Curve, foyers and public spaces, the Lakeside Terrace, a roof-top tropical conservatory, conference facilities and three restaurants. For more information visit www.barbican.org.uk
About Cultural Industry
Established in 1987 by Michael Morris, Cultural Industry www.culturalindustry.co.uk has been responsible for the ongoing presentation of work in the UK by Robert Lepage/ Ex Machina and Pina Bausch/Tanztheater Wuppertal as well as the production of special projects by Brian Eno , Laurie Anderson , Heiner Goebbels, Scott Walker and Robert Wilson , amongst many others, in a range of leading venues throughout the UK. Cultural Industry also conceived and produced the highly acclaimed Shockheaded Peter, seen across four continents.
Michael Morris is also, alongside James Lingwood, Co-Director of Artangel www.artangel.org.uk which commissions and produces new work by exceptional artists in unusual locations and on film. Past commissions include Michael Landy’s Break Down at the C&A building on Oxford Street; Jeremy Deller's The Battle of Orgreave in South Yorkshire; Gregor Schneider’s Die Familie Schneider in identical neighbouring houses in Whitechapel, Roger Hiorn’s Seizure in Elephant and Castle and Clio Barnard’s award-winning debut feature film The Arbor.
About the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival
The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements. Spread over four years, it is designed to give everyone in the UK a chance to be part of London 2012 and inspire creativity across all forms of culture, especially among young people.
Since the Cultural Olympiad started in 2008 11.2million people from across the UK have participated in or attended over 5,400 public performances as part of the Cultural Olympiad and programmes inspired by 2012 and funded by our principle funders and sponsors. Over 67,000 people have attended 6,800 workshops as part of Cultural Olympiad programmes.
The culmination of the Cultural Olympiad will be the London 2012 Festival, bringing leading artists from all over the world together from 21 June 2012 in this UK-wide festival – a chance for everyone to celebrate London 2012 through dance, music, theatre, the visual arts, film and digital innovation and leave a lasting legacy for the arts in this country.
Principal funders of the Cultural Olympiad and London 2012 Festival are Arts Council England, Legacy Trust UK and the Olympic Lottery Distributor.
BP and BT are Premier Partners of the Cultural Olympiad and the London 2012 Festival.
The British Council will support the international development of London 2012 Cultural Olympiad projects. Panasonic are the presenting partner of Film Nation: Shorts.
For more details visit www.london2012.com/culture
Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: World Cities 2012
Viktor (1986)
Rome , Italy
Wednesday 6 & Thursday 7 June 2012, Sadler’s Wells
The first coproduction of Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch with Teatro Argentina and the City of Rome.
Nur Du (Only You) (1996)
California , USA
UK premiere
Saturday 9 & Sunday 10 June, Barbican
A co-production with the University of California in Los Angeles, Arizona State University, University of California, Berkeley , University of Texas in Austin, Darlene Neel Presentations, Rena Shagan Associates and The Music Centre inc.
…como el musguito en la piedra, ay si si si… (2009)
Santiago , Chile
UK premiere
Tuesday 12 & Wednesday 13 June, Sadler’s Wells
A co-production with the Festival International de Teatro Santiago a Mil in Chile with the support of the Goethe Institute Chile, in collaboration with Andres Neumann International.
Bamboo Blues (2007)
India
UK premiere
Friday 15 & Saturday 16 June, Barbican
A co-production with the Goethe Institutes in India.
Der Fensterputzer (The Window Washer) (1997)
Hong Kong , China
UK premiere
Monday 18 & Tuesday 19 June, Sadler’s Wells
A co-production with the Hong Kong Arts Festival Society and the Goethe Institute Hong Kong.
Ten Chi (2004)
Japan
UK premiere
Thursday 21& Friday 22 June, Barbican
A co-production with Saitama Prefecture, Saitama Arts Foundation and Nippon Cultural Center, Japan.
Néfés (2003)
Istanbul , Turkey
UK premiere
Sunday 24 & Monday 25 June, Sadler’s Wells
A co-production with the International Theatre Festival Istanbul and the Istanbul Foundation for Arts and Culture.
Água (2001)
Brazil
Thursday 28 & Friday 29 June, Barbican
A co-production with the Goethe institute Sao Paulo, Brazil and Emilio Kalil.
Palermo Palermo (1989)
Palermo , Sicily
Sunday 1 & Monday 2 July, Sadler’s Wells
A co-production with Teatro Biondo Stabile / Palermo and the City of Palermo, in collaboration with Andres Neumann International.
Wiesenland (2000)
Budapest , Hungary
UK premiere
Sunday 8 & Monday 9 July, Sadler’s Wells
A co-production with the Goethe Institute Budapest and Théâtre de la Ville, Paris.
|  |  |  |
| | Press Enquiries:
For images or further details on the Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch: World Cities 2012 season please contact abigail.desch@sadlerswells.com / 020 7863 8119 or angela.dias@barbican.org.uk / 020 7382 7168
For further details on the London 2012 Festival, please contact paul.woodmansey@london2012.com
|
|
