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A Curious Invitation: The Rite of Spring at The Coronet Theatre

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Time 23:00
Date 08/05/15
Price £20

Since the dawn of humanity all civilisations have celebrated the end of winter's barrenness, so shed your inhibitions and join a concupiscent celebration, a fecund frolic, a dance to the death.

Stravinsky's seminal ballet on the theme, the Rite of Spring, with its lusty rhythms, raucous harmonies and unabashed depictions of primordial behaviour scandalised the bourgeoisie of Paris at its premiere in 1913. Just over a century later to celebrate the Earth’s annual rebirth and Art’s occasional awakening to new ideas, A Curious Invitation hereby invites you to its own festival of renewal: a grand masked ball with a pagan fair just south of the River Thames. 

IN THE BALLROOM 

The Rite of Spring depicts an ancient ritual in which a pagan tribe gathers to welcome the Earth's annual regeneration and propitiate the gods by selecting a sacrificial virgin, who then ritually dances herself to death. As the sun rises over the primeval landscape TROYLUS SEARLL will waken the world from its wintry slumber with a selection of his Wiccan waltzes and pagan Polkas. With the sap now coursing though your veins let the LONDON GAY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA conduct you on a terpsichorean trip through the musical ages, taking in the classical, the romantic and the decadent. Now you are fully sensually aroused BUFFO'S WAKE will invite you to stomp the awakening Earth back into fertility as they take the stage with their heady brew of death waltz, urban skank & gypsy punk. The gods are appeased and you may now surrender your body and soul to the dirty bouncy beats of DJ MIGUEL DARE with his house, r'n'b and hip pop tunes.

THE CITY OF SHADOWS

Duck under the arches and infiltrate the immersive realm of the Goblin King's Masquerade Ball. Join in the revels of the nymphs, imps, bad faeries and other creatures of the night in their darkling domain where merriment, mischief and mayhem hold sway. But the awakening of Spring has brought disruptive passions and unrest to the goblin kingdom. Disaffected serfs are forming a rebel faction to depose the king and his despotic courtiers. So enter The City of Shadows if you dare, but choose wisely where your allegiances lie...

BALLET OF THE EARTH

Throughout the evening the CORP DE BALLET under the direction of Jonathan Atwood will present scenes from Stravinsky's mystic and scandalous ballet, including the Adoration of the Earth, the Spring Round Dances and culminating in the Sacrificial Dance of the Chosen One.

What else? THE CABARET, THE FERTILITY FEAST, THE DEATH RITES, THE CHERRY BLOSSOM VIEWING and THE HOT SPRINGS. Get full detail here.

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COMPETITION: Win 1x pair of tickets for A Curious Invitation: The Rite of Spring at The Coronet Theatre on Friday 8 May at 22:00. To enter the competition, send an email to bojana@run-riot.com with the correct answer in the ‘subject’ box. The winner will be randomly selected.

Q: Throughout the evening the Corps de Ballet under the direction of Jonathan Atwood will present scenes from Stravinsky's mystic and scandalous 'Le Sacre du printemps'. Of the following, which scene isn’t from this particular ballet?
A: .1) Danse de la terre (Dance of the Earth) .2) La tickler de la grande plume (The Great Feather Tickler) .3) Danse sacrale (L'Élue) (Sacrificial Dance)

 

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