★★★★✰ All credit to Viviana Durante (supported by Royal Ballet, Ballet Black and Scottish Ballet dancers) for contributing to the 25th anniversary of Kenneth MacMillan's death with recreations of his early work.
Tag - Frank Martin
Viviana Durante on her company and its showcasing of early Kenneth MacMillan works at London's Barbican on 18 — 21 Apr 2018. Bruce Marriott talks to one of the foremost MacMillan interpreters about her MacMillan celebration showcasing 3 very rarely seen works.
★★★★✰ Gloria was Nixon’s first choice because he felt it showed MacMillan at his moving best. It contrasts Poulenc’s choral setting of the Latin text from the mass in praise of God with the toll of human lives in the First World War.
Of the three Choreographics evenings to date I thought this was the best, with all the pieces feeling buffed-up, thought about and nobody making a huge wrong turn.
I thoroughly applaud the move to widen the choreographic vocabulary of what they present and I hope they can tour such a bill in future. A bravo to David Nixon (AD) and Mark Skipper (Chief Exec) for making this happen...
It’s an interesting evening, showing both choreographer and company at their best and at somewhat less than that.