(c) Danny Willems

(c) Danny Willems

(c) Danny Willems

(c) Danny Willems

PIANO WORKS DEBUSSYVoetvolk / Lisbeth Gruwez & Claire Chevallier

Thu 26.01.2023 | 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Fri 27.01.2023 | 8:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Künstler*innenhaus Mousonturm - Saal

Thu 26.01.2023 artist talk afterwards

Fri 27.01.2023 warm-up for audience

solidarity pricing system (you choose):
€ 7 / € 11 / € 20 / € 35

“Music is the space between the notes” – Claude Debussy

Piano Works Debussy is a duet between dancer Lisbeth Gruwez and pianist Claire Chevallier. Together they're in search of the space between the notes in the compositions of Claude Debussy, who fiddled around with the hegemony of rules.

Their movements are suggestions rather than expressions, in line with Debussy’s search for ‘la musique immatérielle’. Rather than evoking a steadfast reality, Gruwez and Chevalier install an imagination behind the gauze of the material.

For the first time in her career Gruwez is getting involved with classical music. After her formation in classical ballet she found freedom in contemporary dance, gradually developing a language of movement that's referential by now. In this respect, Piano Works Debussy is a unique dialogue between a classical and contemporary framework that somehow uncovers her choreographical trajectory.

Lisbeth Gruwez: "Piano Works Debussy is an aquarelle. Think about the airiness of colours that flow in one another, dry for a while, and become moistened again to establish new connections. Debussy's music irrigates the dance and continually shakes up the material."

Claire Chevallier (°1969) is a celebrated pianist of solo recitals, chamber concerts and concerts with orchestra. She is world-renowned for her performances and recordings. Claire is specialized in historically informed performance: she re-actualizes music on old instruments. She also has her own collection of historical pianos, consisting of six grand pianos from the period 1840-1920.

Claire teaches at the 'Conservatoire Royal de Bruxelles' and served on the panel of judges for the Liszt Concours in Utrecht and the International Chopin Competition of Warschau, amongst others. She's an expert of the works of French composers as Ravel, Debussy, Satie, Poulenc… Her recording of Ravel's Concerto pour la main gauche (together with Anima Eterna) is still a landmark in the world of classical music.

Chevallier has also extensively worked with performing and other artists, such as Rosas, David Claerbout, Josse De Pauw and Jan Lauwers (Needcompany).

Credits:
CONCEPT                             Voetvolk / Lisbeth Gruwez & Maarten Van Cauwenberghe
CHOREOGRAPHY                 Lisbeth Gruwez
MUSIC                                  Claude Debussy
PERFORMANCE                    Lisbeth Gruwez & Claire Chevallier
ARTISTIC ASSISTANCE        Maarten Van Cauwenberghe
DRAMATURGY                       Bart Meuleman
LIGHT DESIGN                      Stef Alleweireldt & Gilles Roosen
SCENOGRAPHY                    Marie Szersnovicz
SOUND                                  Alban Moraud & Maarten Van Cauwenberghe
TECHNICAL DIRECTOR        Bram Vande Ghinste
PRODUCTION MANAGER      Astrid De Haes
PRODUCTION                       Voetvolk vzw
COPRODUCTION                  KVS – Royal Flemish Theatre, Le Fonds de dotation du Quartz, Theater Freiburg, Klarafestival, ADC Genève, Vooruit Ghent, Liepaja concert hall Great Amber, Festival d’Avignon & MA scene nationale - Pays de Monbéliard
RESIDENCIES                        KVS Royal Flemish Theatre, Arts Centre NONA, Ultima Vez, Les Brigittines & Le Quartz
SUPPORTED BY                    NONA, the Flemish Community & the Belgian Tax Shelter
DISTRIBUTION IN COLLABORATION WITH     Key Performance