Lamento - Critical Dance by Maggie Foyer

Lamento

Andreas Heise, the only choreographer from outside the Stuttgart Ballet, offered Lamento. In this work he moves the focus inwards and explores the relationship between Ulysses and Penelope, the protagonists in Homer’s eponymous poem. While non-narrative, Lamento is essentially character driven, as Heise ignores the heroics of Ulysses epic voyage to concentrate on the passions that pulse between the two. Their final meeting, rich with subtext, evolves as two mature adults renew their love from a new and different perspective. The final duet, with Hyo-Jung Kang and Marti Fernández Paixà, reaches the depths of the story of longing and loneliness in a final shared moment as they walk forward holding hands before Ulysses turns back, leaving Penelope alone once more.As composer Bjarte Elke draws inspiration from Claudio Monteverdi to write in his new Baroque style, so Heise melds the ancient tale and contemporary ballet to find his personal language. It is fresh and spontaneous, finding a natural expression for emotions in the movement. Ulysses is the archetypal hero and Penelope the faithful strong woman but Heise explores far more subtle interpretations. The emotion flows freely rather then in linear form and different meetings inspire new feelings and heighten passions. A red dress and a red jacket signify the protagonists, and these are shared and discarded as the threads of narrative weave through the work. There are pairings, or tripling of a character to intensify the quality. It is a clever device in a work that is never less than honest to itself.