HANDEL, G.F.: Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato (L') [Ballet by M. Morris] (Teatro Real, 2014)
L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, HWV 55
Composer: Handel, George Frideric
Ballet Company: Mark Morris Dance Group
Choreographer: Morris, Mark
Corps de Ballet: Mark Morris Dance Group
Orchestra: Madrid Teatro Real Chorus
Conductor: Glover, Jane
Soloist: Gilchrist, James
Soloist: Watts, Elisabeth
Soloist: Foster-Williams, Andrew
Soloist: Brandon, Sarah-Jane
Television Director: Bataillon, Vincent
Lighting Designer: Ingalls, James F.
Set Designer: Lobel, Adrianne
Costumer Designer: Van Loon, Christine
Date of Production: 2014
Venue: Teatro Real, Madrid
Playing Time: 01:36:51
Catalogue Number: BAC123
UPC: 3760115301238
Grace and ingenuity come together in this ballet by esteemed choreographer Mark Morris, whose vision takes center stage at the Teatro Real de Madrid in L'Allegro, il Penseroso ed il Moderato, brought to life by exquisite dancers inspired by Handel's pastoral ode. Soloists Sarah-Jane Brandon, Elizabeth Watts, James Gilchrist, and Andrew Foster-Williams sing the poetry of John Milton, accompanied by the theatre's choir and orchestra under the esteemed maestra Jane Glover.
As the work unfolds, the minimalist set design by Adrianna Lobel alternately contrasts with and complements the sobriety of the costumes, playing subtly on the use of color throughout. The ample space created by the decor, brimming with shadows and light, gives the Mark Morris Dance Group an immense canvas on which to project their stunning art-and the eclectic convergence of dance and music expresses the wide variety of moods and emotions inherent in the Baroque style, luminous and witty, certain to leave viewers with lasting joy!
