SENSE OF TIME
In June 2019 Birmingham Royal Ballet presented the world premier of Sense of Time, the third ‘Ballet Now’ commission choreographed by Didy Veldman, scored by Gabriel Prokofiev for symphony orchestra & electronics.
Sense of Time is all about our relationship with time, and the current tendency to be continually in a rush. Choreographed by renowned Dutch choreographer Didy Veldman, Sense of Time travels through a series of scenes/instances: the urban rush-hour, loneliness in the crowds, machine-like office workers at their screens, and those important moments of intimacy when we finally give time to our friends and family.
Conductor Thomas Jung directed the Birmingham Royal Ballet Sinfonia and the electronics are performed live by a pianist playing tough grime & techno inspired bass-lines, triggering filtered crowd sounds (recorded by Gabriel in street markets of Pointe-Noire, Seoul & London), computer-keyboard clicks, and even a vintage radio playing back a nostalgic waltz (those imagined ‘good-times’). Time is frozen, time is accelerated, and even reversed.
In an interview that was given before one of the performances Thomas Jung said:
»This is one of the best scores I've seen and heard for years. Gabriel has created a real masterpiece. He treats both the electronics and the orchestra with finesse and greatest musicality and electronics and orchestra become one unit. Bringing this score to life and working together with Gabriel and Didy has been pure joy.«
Sense of Time was premiered on June 12th 2019 in Birmingham and was performed in the Hippodrome until June 16th as well as in London's Sadler's Wells Theatre on 25th and 26th of June.
Choreography: Didy Veldman
Music: Gabriel Prokofiev
Designs: Joanna Dias
Lighting: Amy Mae
For further information visit the composer's or the choreographer's websites: www.gabrielprokofiev.com | www.didyveldman.com
Photograph Clive Booth
Photograph Clive Booth
Photograph Aitor Galende
Photograph Clive Booth
PREMIERE CAST:
Delia Mathews, Céline Gittens, Yaoqian Shang, Yijing Zhang, Yvette Knight, Beatrice Parma, Brandon Lawrence, Tyrone Singleton, Gabriel Anderson, Aitor Galende, Lachlan Monaghan, Edivaldo Souza da Silva, Conductor Thomas Jung