Sol Garcia

My Rite

Time seems to have stopped since Nijinsky/Stravinsky’s controversial debut of the Rite of Spring.
But time has gone by and this work plays an important part in our cultural imagination. My fascination and respect for the score were decisive in my interpretation, dramaturgical and choreographic construction of the performance. Remaining faithful to Stravinsky’s score was, from the outset, the greatest obstacle and one I set out to overcome.
Two aspects were however somewhat distanced from the original concept: customised visions that make the story easier for me to understand and more pleasant to adapt. I gave the Sage an unusual role, that of beginning the piece There is silence throughout the Prelude and he makes the empty and solitary space his own, taking us on a journey through his gestures, premonitions, the anticipation and preparation of the ground for the ritual. The second option, which distances itself dramatically from the original concept, is that the character of the Elect is not treated as a victim in the dramatic sense of the word. My Elect feels privileged and wants to dance until she succumbs. At no time does she feel she has to do something nor is she punished. Fear does not overwhelm her. She shows her living strength and energy by struggling blindly against fatigue.

Olga Roriz | May 10^th, 2010