25/2/2003 ( Tue ) ~ 14/3/2003 ( Fri ) and 25/3/2003( Tue )
~ 28/3/2003 ( Fri )
and 2/4/2003( Wed ) ~ 6/4/2003 ( Sun ) |
The Synopsis of Bourne's Swan Lake
« STORY » |
 |
|
 A
young prince leads a lonely existence when his mother won't show him the slightest
bit of affection. [ The Bourne version begins with a prologue in which we first
meet the Prince as a young boy. In the remainder of the first act, we see the
Prince grow, attempting to adjust to being part of a Royal Family ].
While the Prince is struggling with issues of separation and individuation, sexual
identity and self-realization, the queen's secretary sets him up with a whorish
girlfriend. After a scene played out in a swanky bar, the drunken prince writes
a suicide note and prepares to drown his sorrows -- literally.
His attempt is subverted by The Swan that emerges from the water. The Prince recognizes
the Swan from his dreams and is instantly attracted to him. Other swans seem to
threaten him and the Swan, that controls them and protects the Prince, becomes
his soul mate and his reason to live. For the Prince, the bird is fascinating,
free, powerful -- everything he aspires to be. A magnificent man-bird that can
simultaneously hold him like a child and soothe his mature urges.
In the second act, the Prince recognizes an intruder at a party in the Royal Palace
that resembles his Swan. The events that follow result in the accidental death
of the Prince's Girlfriend.
For the Prince and his real love - the Swan, redemption comes through death. In
the final scene the swans appear yet again, this time bringing with them a brutal
denouement . The Prince then dies of complete despair.
This is a story where betrayal and power are conquered by the virtues of love
and forgiveness. A truly universal romance and tragedy of death and loss, but
more importantly of re-birth that makes non-judgmental and unconditional love
possible. |
| • Venue |
Bunkamura Orchard Hall |
|
| * Presented by: TBS / Bunkamura
/ The Asahi Shimbun |
| * Supported by: The British Embassy
/ The British Council |
| * Cooperation: PIA |
| * Official Airline: ANA |
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«Duration
of the performance » |
Act I & II 65 mins.
Intermission 20 mins.
Act III & IV 65 mins.
TOTAL 2hours 30 mins. |
« Directed
and Choreographed » |
Matthew Bourne (Best Director of Musical & Best Choreography - 1999 TONY
AWARDS) |
| « Production Designer » |
Lez Brotherston (Best Costume Design - 1999 TONY AWARDS) |
| « Composer » |
Pytor Ilyich Tchaikovsky |
| * Using specially recorded tape for music. |
|
| CAST |
"The Swan"
Adam Cooper
Jesus Pastor
Yasuyuki Shuto
"The Prince"
Ben Wright
Tom Ward
"The Queen"
Marguerite Porter
Emma Spears
"The Private Secretary"
Steve Kirkham
"The Prince's Girlfriend"
Fiona Marie Chivers
Tracy Bradley
and
Timothy Blowfield
Andrew Corbett
Kevin Muscat
Heather Regis-Duncan
David Rhys
Simon Williams
and others
(In alphabetical order, subject to
change) |
| * Due to AMP's company policy, the daily cast
will only be announced on the day of. |
|
| Ten months
after their first visit to Japan with the performance of "The Car Man",
we are thrilled to welcome AMP again with the gifted Matthew Bourne's production
of the SWAN LAKE! |
|
|
 Following
their debut in Japan with the Olivier awarded performance "THE CAR MAN",
Adventures in Motion Pictures (AMP) will be visiting Japan again with the production
of the SWAN LAKE. The long-awaited reincarnation of Tchaikofsky's classic, which
will be presented in February 2003, in Bunkamura Orchard Hall.
Brilliant British choreographer Matthew Bourne turns tradition upside down with
a new spin on SWAN LAKE by resetting the scene in a imaginative '50s London and
a court of libidinous Royals, and by replacing the traditional female corps of
leggy, tutued swans with a menacing flock of bare-chested males.
Since November 9th, 1995 with the Sadler's Wells (London) world premiere performance,
SWAN LAKE has twice toured the UK, has become the longest running ballet in the
West End and has thrilled audiences in LA. The production has been widely acclaimed
on both sides of the Atlantic as a landmark production on the international stage
and has collected over 25 international theatre awards, including 3 Tony's for
the Broadway production.
Bourne's SWAN LAKE tells the story of an unloved prince, a cold, heartless mother,
an unsuitable girlfriend and a flock of menacing and mysterious swans, led by
a haunting and sinister figure - the swan of the prince's dreams.
But do not be muddled up! This is a serious, probing theatrical production, despite
considerable wit and moments of parody.
The remarkable sets and costumes were designed by Lez Brotherton. |
Tschaikovsky's masterpiece ballet "SWAN
LAKE" was re-born
in today's work of genius. |
With its full corps de ballet of male swans, AMP's
Swan Lake immediately captured consciousness, astonishing both audiences and critics
alike.
 But what makes
this re-interpretation different is not only limited to the casting of the swans.
The swans apart from having painted birdlike foreheads and feathered pantaloons,
they have an erotic but also dangerous and destructive aura.
The setting has been set to a distinctly recognizable London, in 1950 era.
Matthew Bourne's dynamic choreography brilliantly transforms the traditional Tschaikofsky's
masterpiece SWAN LAKE into a hugely entertaining contemporary tale. This multi
award-winning production is surrounded by brilliant scenes, perfect choreography
and exceptional dancing.
Thrilling, audacious and totally unique, AMP's Swan Lake has been heralded as
a modern masterpiece. |
| PRINCE SIEGFRIED:
The Young Prince 14years old. The older Prince 21 years old. The prince is weak
and not suited for royal life. A dreamer, he leads a double life and is obsessed
since childhood with visions of swans. He has a strong almost incestuous relationship
with his mother (queen) and he is jealous of her young lovers.
The QUEEN: At 45, the Queen is middle aged but
still retains her beauty and allure. She is single and entertains various young
lovers. She is however, dignified and supremely royal. Her son is an embarrassment.
The SWAN: A creature of imagination. He is strong,
masculine and beautiful. To the Prince he represents freedom and peace as well
as desire.
VON ROTHBART: He is the Prince's Press Secretary
- devious, slimy and corrupt.
OTHER CHARACTERS: Swans, cygnets, princesses,
maids, the Prince commoner girlfriend, the Queen's escorts, members of a private
Soho Club, East End gangsters, sailors, prostitutes. |
| The most talked about innovation in
AMP's Swan Lake is the casting of a male dancer in the converted role of Odette/Odile,
which Bourne simple called "the Swan". Indeed, all swans in this production
are male dancers, departing from convention in such a radical way. |
|
|
 "The
idea of a male swan makes complete sense to me, the strength, the beauty, the
enormous wingspan of these creatures suggests the musculature of a male dancer
(much more readily than a ballerina in a white tutu). By using men, you are wiping
away all those mental pictures in the audience's mind and freeing up their imagination,
ready to experience something new."
"The Swan represents to
the Prince everything he wants to be; strong, beautiful and free. He is kind of
alter ego that reflects the mood or state that the Prince is feeling. Their relationship
does, however, have a very erotic charge and the lure of the unknown (Act II duet
is a dance between a man and a bird)."
"The concept of dancer
as swan is just exciting and inspiring an idea whether working on the classical
ballet form or in a contemporary idiom."
"With the variety
of the piece, I saw an opportunity to create a human story, with the potential
for great dramatic power and range, indulge my more satirical and humorous leanings
as well as create whole suites of abstract movement to some of the best dance
music ever written. Irresistible!" |
|
|
 |
 |
| Matthew Bourne |
Matthew Bourne has been the Artistic Director & Choreographer of Adventures
in Motion Pictures since 1987. AMP has become the UK's most innovative and popular
dance/theatre company, winning countless awards for its ground-breaking work,
both at home and internationally. Matthew Bourne is the creator of the world's
longest running ballet production and is the only British director to have won
the Tony Award for Best Director and Best Choreographer of a Musical in the same
year (1999).
He started dancing at the age of 22, when he enrolled at the Laban Centre. He
was awarded a BA (Hons) degree in 1986 and spent a further year performing with
the Laban Centre's Transitions Dance Company. As a dancer he was a founder member
of Lea Anderson's Featherstonehaughs and created many roles with his own company.
His final performance as a dancer came in January 1999, playing The Private Secretary
in the Broadway production of Swan Lake.
Works created for AMP include Overlap lovers, Spitfire, Buck and Wing, The Infernal
Gallop, Town and Country (Olivier nomination), Deadly Serious, The Percys of Fitzrovia,
Nutcracker (Olivier nomination), Highland Fling, Swan Lake (numerous international
awards including two Tonys, Drama Desk, Outer Critics' Circle, Astaire Award,
Olivier Award, South Bank Show Award, Time Out Award, LA Critics' Circle, Dramalogue
Award), Cinderella (LA Drama Critics' Circle and Backstage Garland Award), The
Car Man (Evening Standard Award, Manchester Evening News Award, Olivier nomination).
Film work includes Late Flowering Lust (BBC), Drip (AMP/BBC), Roald Dahl's Little
Red Riding Hood (BBC), Swan Lake (AMP/BBC; Emmy nomination), The Car Man (AMP/C4).
His production of Swan Lake is featured in Stephen Daldry's film, Billy Elliot.
 Other
theatre work includes As You Like It (RSC/John Caird), Children of Eden (West
End/John Caird), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Aix en Provence/Robert Carsen), The
Tempest (NYT), Show Boat (Malmo Stadsteater, Sweden), Peer Gynt (Barbican/Yukio
Ninagawa), Watch with Mother (NYDC), Boutique (Images of Dance), Watch Your Step
(Irving Berlin Gala), Oliver! (London Palladium/Sam Mendes) and French and Saunders
Live in 2000 (UK tour).
As well as creating roles for major dancers Lynn Seymour and Adam Cooper, he has
made dances for many leading actors including Sir Nigel Hawthorne, Julie Walters,
Dawn French and Jonathan Pryce. Most recently he choreographed the sell-out season
of My Fair Lady at The Royal National Theatre directed by Trevor Nunn. Faber &
Faber have recently published Matthew Bourne and his Adventures in Motion Pictures.
He is a director of The Spitfire Trust, which provides financial support to young
dancers and choreographers, and in 1997 he was made an Honorary Fellow of the
Laban Centre. He was awarded an OBE for services to dance in Honors List. |
| TRIPLE CASTING FOR THE "SWAN"
ROLE: |
The extravagant triple cast for the role of Swan has been
confirmed!!
Only for the performance of swan lake in Japan! |
| Which swan will YOU be meeting? |
 It
was only been decided lately, that the leading part of "SWAN" role is
been performed by 3 mega stars: the former Royal Ballet principal Adam Cooper,
The Tokyo Ballet principal Shuto Yasuyuki and the new star Jesus Pastor, a principal
of the Spanish National Dance Company and the Scottish Ballet. All three swans
differ respectively and release intensive and strong individuality.
First of all, Adam Cooper, who deserves the title of the "main" swan,
as he has participated at this production since the very beginning. Cooper, in
a revival of the Swan Lake, after many years... Cooper, that has danced in London
and New York performances and has been recognized world-wide, along with this
production… Do you remember the big hit "Billy Elliot" recently,
where at the last scene the protagonist and little boy Billy appears as a grown-up?
Then you unquestionably remember how astonished you were when you realized that
little Billy was represented by the figure of Adam Cooper.
But, what amazed Japan's ballet fans even more than that, was the decision for
the participation of The Tokyo Ballets' Yasuyuki Shuto's, in the main act. Shuto
has participated in world famous choreographers' productions such as Kylian's
productions, Bejart's "Bolero", "Le sacred du printemps",
"M" etc. Furthermore, he has performed at the "Nijinski",
where he was evaluated as "the most remarkable combination of a dancer-actor".
His participation in the Swan Lake was decided by Matthew Bourne himself when
he was in Japan for the production of "The Car Man" and when they met
at an interview hosting both, organized by a magazine. Consequently, the attention
has been gathered around Shuto's new challenge…
This time, along with Shuto, a newborn star will be challenging the role of Swan
as well, Jesus Pastor, born in Spain. Pastor has joined the National Dance Company
of Spain led by Nacho Puato, the Scottish Ballet, as a principal dancer and did
not limit his participation to classic repertoires only, but participated in a
plethora of modern pieces of Bejart, Mats Ek, Hans Van Manen and Kylian.
3 men, 3 styles!
So, I wonder… Which swan will YOU be meeting? |
 |
 Adam
Cooper is a Principal Dancer for The Royal Ballet. He won the 1995 Time Out Award
for his performance as the Swan and in "CINDERELLA" in which he created
the role of the Pilot.
Born in London, Cooper studied
at the Arts Educational School and the Royal Ballet School. He won the Ursula
Moreton Choreographic Competition at the Royal Ballet School (1988) and the professional
prize at the Prix de Lausanne (Tokyo, January 1989). In July 1989, he danced the
role of the Young Man in Sir Frederick Ashton's "THE TWO PIGEONS" (Royal
Opera House).
 Cooper
joined The Royal Ballet in September 1989 and rose quickly through the ranks,
becoming a principal dancer in January 1994. In his first season he made his debut
as the King of the South in Kenneth Mac Millan's "THE PRINCE OF THE PAGODAS"
and has since danced the leading roles in this and many other Mac Millan ballets,
including "WINTER DREAMS," LESCAUT IN MANON" "MAYERLING"
"GLORIA" "THE JUDAS TREET" "ROMEO & JULIET"
"THE INVITATION" "DANCES CONSERTANTES" and "DIFFERENT
DRUMMER". In 1997, he won the prestigious London Evening Standard Award for
Best Dance Performance for this production of "SWAN LAKE".
|
 |
 Born
in Oita, Yasuyuki Shuto started ballet at the age of 9. While in junior high school,
he took trips to New York and London by himself to take open classes. He joined
The Tokyo Ballet in in 1987.
In 1990, Shuto made his principal-role debut in "THE SLEEPING BEAUTY"
at the age of 19. He has since danced leading parts in Lacotte's "LA SYLPHIDE",
"SWAN LAKE", "THE NUTCRACKER", "GISELLE", "PAQUITA",
Blaska's "CONCERTO PROKOFIEV", Balanchine's "LE PALAIS DE CRISTAL"
and "THEME AND VARIATIONS", Bejart's "L'OISEAU DE FEU", "LE
SACRE DU PRINTEMPS", "BOLERO", "PETROUCHKA", Kylian's
"STEPPING STONES", and others. In the premiere performance of Bejart's
"M" in 1993, he was chosen by Bejart to portray 'St. Sebastien', and
in the following European tour, he received enthusiastic applause in l'Opera de
Paris, Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Deutsche Oper Berlin, and so on. In 1994,
he premiered Kylian's "PERFECT CONCEPTION".
 |
| © Hidemi Seto |
Shuto performed "PERFECT CONCEPTION" at St-Florent
Festival in Angers, France, in 1994. In December of that year, he was invited
to Bejart Ballet Lausanne to dance parts such as 'Ferdinand, Prince of Napoli'
in "KING LEAR-PROSPERO". In 1995, he joined the tour of Bejart Ballet
Lausanne for three months. At Athens Festival in June 1996, he danced "LE
SACRE DU PRINTEMPS" as the partner of Sylvie Guillem. In October 1997, he
performed "LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS" with Sylvie Guillem again in Tokyo.
From classical, noble parts to his sharp interpretation of modern parts, Shuto
is a popular male dancer for his multicolored and rich expression. In fact, Shuto
has been showcased not only in the field of ballet: in 1997, he acted as the model
of an artistic photograph collection, "POSSESSION". |
 |
 Born
in Madrid, Spain. He has joined both the National Dance Company of Spain and the
Scottish Ballet as principal dancer and captured the attention of the public with
his technique and expressiveness. Moreover, he was highly estimated when he performed
as a guest artist with Maurice Bejart Company and other ballet companies.  Principal
roles in classical repertoires, such as the "SWAN LAKE", "DON QUIXOTE",
"SLEEPING BEAUTY" and in modern Repertoires, such as productions choreographed
by Jiri Kylian, Nacho Duato, Mats Ek, Maurice Bejart, Robert North, Hans Van Manen
and others. |
| "… a performance of such breathtaking
power and originality it will haunt you forever". THE LONDON SUNDAY EXPRESS |
| "Matthew Bourne has turned Swan Lake on its
head, he has given it a sex change and catapulted it into another universe ....
some of the best performances you will ever see on a ballet stage. It will be
a great big hit." THE TIMES |
| "This truly was a swan to die for!" THE
TIMES |
| "Far more viscerally exciting than any classical
interpretation." THE GUARDIAN |
| "Magical dancing swans set the West End aflutter."
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH |
| "See it or live to regret it!" LONDON
INDEPENDENT'S |
| Swan Lake has collected more than 25 international theatre awards
including 3 Tony's for the Broadway production. Among those: |
| « Society of West End
Theatres OLIVIER AWARD 1996 » |
|
Best New Dance Production |
| « TIME OUT DANCE AWARD
1996 » |
|
Adam Cooper for his performance |
| « THE MANCHESTER EVENING
NEWS AWARD 1996 » |
|
for Best Touring Dance Production |
|
« GAY
TIMES READERS POLL 1996 » |
|
Outstanding Live Performance |
| « TIME OUT DANCE AWARD
1997 » |
|
AMP - Special Achievement for West End Season of SWAN LAKE |
| « THE SOUTH BANK SHOW
AWARD 1997 » |
|
Matthew Bourne for SWAN LAKE |
| « THE EVENING STANDARD
BALLET AWARDS 1997 » |
|
Adam Cooper for his performance |
| « DRAMALOGUE AWARDS 1997
» |
|
(for the Los Angeles season)
Musical Director - David Frame
Outstanding Performance - Adam Cooper
Outstanding Performance - Scott Ambler
Director - Matthew Bourne
Producer - Katharine Dore
Set and Costume Design - Lez Brotherston |
| « LOS ANGELES DRAMA CRITICS
CIRCLE AWARDS » |
|
Outstanding choreography - Matthew Bourne |
| « 1999 OUTER CIRCLE CRITICS
AWARDS » |
|
(for the Broadway Season)
Outstanding Director of a Musical - Matthew Bourne
Outstanding Choreography - Matthew Bourne
Outstanding Costume Design - Lez Brotherston |
| « 1998/99 DRAMA DESK
AWARDS » |
|
(for the Broadway Season)
Outstanding Director of a Musical - Matthew Bourne
Outstanding Choreography - Matthew Bourne
Outstanding Set Design of a Musical - Lez Brotherston
Outstanding Costume Design - Lez Brotherston
Unique Theatrical Experience - Swan Lake |
| « 1999 ASTAIRE AWARDS
» |
|
(for Excellence in Dance on Broadway)
Outstanding Male Dancer - Adam Cooper
Special Award for Concept, Direction and Choreography - Matthew Bourne |
| « 1999 TONY AWARDS » |
|
Best Director of a Musical - Matthew Bourne
Best Choreography - Matthew Bourne
Best Costume Design - Lez Brotherston |
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