Here's why this concert will intrigue and inspire you...
Widely regarded as France’s greatest living composer during his lifetime, Maurice Ravel loved the pleasures of good food, fine wine, and fascinating company. The creation and staging of Daphnis et Chloé in 1912 brought him into impressive company indeed, such as that of ballet legend Vaslav Nijinsky, choreographer Michel Fokine, and the genius Sergei Diaghilev of Ballets Russes fame. This original production of Daphnis et Chloé was a symphonie chorégraphique, or choreographic symphony, with a set designed by the celebrated Russian painter and scene designer Léon Bakst (see image at top).
Daphnis et Chloé came into being during an explosively productive time in the arts, when forms such as dance, music, poetry, and theater were being brought together in extraordinary new ways. Ravel's symphonie chorégraphique exemplified the era perfectly by fusing impressionist music with modern dance and ancient Greek mythology. As one scholar put it, the result was “a ballet of contrasting neoclassicisms, its visual layer composed of flowing line and bright colors, its aural layer of floating motives and blended timbres.”
Over time, Daphnis et Chloé strayed from its original ballet form, as many found the piece better suited to symphonic performance without a dance component. Ravel extracted music from it for two orchestral suites. Even without choreography, Daphnis et Chloé was described by Ravel’s contemporaries as his “masterpiece” for orchestra, and is still widely appreciated for its luscious resonance.
While you won't find any ballet at our Daphnis et Chloé concerts, you'll experience the magic of Ravel's masterpiece, along with the Adagio from Mahler’s visionary Symphony No. 10 and the USA premiere of Jean Ahn's Jajang, Jajang (Hush-Hush), a concerto featuring the distinct sound and range of a traditional Korean gayageum.
You can learn more about this concert program here.
We can't wait to share this exciting synthesis of musical styles with you!
Free open rehearsal of Daphnis et Chloe:
Friday January 19 at 7:30 PM at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Cruz
No reservations required
Learn more about open rehearsals here
Evening performance of Daphnis et Chloe:
Saturday January 20 at 7:30 PM at the Civic Auditorium in Santa Cruz
Pre-concert talk at 6:30 PM
Matinee performance of Daphnis et Chloe:
Sunday January 21 at 2:00 PM at the Henry J. Mello Center in Watsonville
Pre-concert talk at 1:00 PM