The dancers at Ballet Kelowna are challenging themselves like never before in their performance of Shakespeare’s Macbeth.
This is the first full commissioned full-length ballet for the company, that was originally scheduled to premiere in May 2020 and was postponed due to the pandemic.
Now, after a two-year wait, the dancers can finally bring the work to the stage at the Kelowna Community Theatre.
“They are portraying these iconic figures, Macbeth, Lady Macbeth, Duncan, Banquo, The Witches,” said Simone Orlando, artistic director and CEO Ballet Kelowna.
“The visceral production features choreography from Canadian choreographic star Alysa Pires, an original score by Dora Award-winning music director, composer, and lyricist Adam Sakiyama, and atmospheric multimedia visuals from Okanagan landscape artist Jane Everett,” states a press release.
The performance also marks the first time a Canadian choreographer who is female has been commissioned to create a full-length work. Pires has been working with Ballet Kelowna and premiered works in 2018 and 2019 with the company.
“Macbeth follows the story of the titular character, a brave soldier and powerful man whose heady ambitions to Scotland’s throne turn him into a callous, yet tortured, murderer, spurred on by his equally determined wife, Lady Macbeth. As Macbeth and Lady Macbeth become hopelessly entangled by their atrocities, the pair descend into madness,” states a press release.
“Dance is really good at portraying action, portraying high stakes emotion and the psychological-emotional inner world of the characters,” said Pires.
“I loved that gestures can mean more than one thing. So we have moments where you can see the images of the crown or the stab in the back.”
Even if you are not familiar with ballet or Shakespeare this is the performance to consider.
“There is a lot of action, there’s a lot of drama. It’s an intense piece,” said Orlando.
“It combines both poetic and contemporary movement but, it’s accessible and I think it’s great work for anyone maybe just experiencing dance for the first time.”
Ballet Kelowna will breathe fresh life into Shakespeare’s Macbeth on May 6 and 7 at the Kelowna Community Theatre. Tickets are available by clicking here.