When Johann Sebastian Bach's Christmas Oratorio opens with the words "Rejoice, exult", one surrenders willingly to the sensation of floating. The rousing joy of this chorus and its unquestioning optimism seem boundless. According to John Neumeier, the opening chorus of the six-part oratorio "projects a relentlessly rushing joy – not yet aware of original sin". The chorus sings of hope, not of an already fulfilled redemption. John Neumeier adds: "Salvation is not a forgone conclusion, but is rather something that needs to be constantly earned and prepared for. As soon as the music of the 'Rejoice' chorus begins – and this is the wonderful thing about Bach's music – a flame inside us ignites, lighting up the irresistible feeling of joy. When the music ends, silence reigns again and we return to our own life on earth".
Bach's work commemorates the incarnation of Christ, with details of Jesus' birth taken from the gospels of Luke and Matthew. The mother, the father and the child, the shepherd and the angels, the wise men from the East, King Herod, a constantly migrating group of people, and a man protecting a little Christmas tree form an outer circle of characters that lead us deeper into the more fundamental, human questions of trust, reliance, faith, doubt and dedication. The biblical story therefore becomes a story for us all.
John Neumeier comments: "My choreography to Bach's Christmas Oratorio is not a religious undertaking. It is not 'sacred dance' and should neither be regarded as an alternative to a church service, nor as the propaganda of a Christian missionary. In the past, I took a similar approach in creating Bach's St. Matthew Passion – choreographing movements, characters and situations, intended for presentation in a theatre, inspired by music that still touches us today. We perform to Bach's music, for a few hours unifying individuals of many different cultural and religious backgrounds. For me, the basic human values expressed through the choreography are always the most important thing. Therefore, in my ballet, Mary is known simply as 'the Mother' and Joseph as 'her Husband'."
John Neumeier choreographed the first three parts of the Christmas Oratorio as a complete ballet in 2007. Six years later, in 2013, he continues his work changing parts of the earlier version and combining them with a newly created second part to the last three cantatas of the oratorio to create a new ballet. For the choreographer, it is important to emphasise that two different but equally valued ballets exist alongside each other. "The opus number of the ballet set to the first three parts is different to that of the entire Christmas Oratorio. What we are now presenting is in fact the premiere of a new work that comprises all six Bach cantatas", adds John Neumeier.
Music: Johann Sebastian Bach
Choreography, Costumes and Light: John Neumeier
Set: Ferdinand Wögerbauer
3 hours 15 minutes | 1 intermission
Part 1: 80 minutes, Part 2: 75 minutes
PREMIERE – Parts I-III:
The Hamburg Ballet, Theater an der Wien, Vienna, December 12, 2007
ORIGINAL CAST:
a man: Lloyd Riggins
the mother: Anna Polikarpova
her husband: Peter Dingle
a shepherd: Carsten Jung
angels: Silvia Azzoni, Arsen Megrabian*
Kusha Alexi
Edvin Revazov
Anna Laudere**
Dario Franconi
*for Thiago Bordin
**for Barbora Kohoutková
PREMIERE in Hamburg – The complete work: Parts I-VI:
The Hamburg Ballet, December 8, 2013
ORIGINAL CAST:
a man: Lloyd Riggins
the mother: Anna Laudere
her husband: Edvin Revazov
a shepherd: Carsten Jung
angels: Silvia Azzoni, Alexandr Trusch
the three wise men: Marc Jubete, Sasha Riva, Thomas Stuhrmann
the king: Dario Franconi
Leslie Heylmann
Lennart Radtke
Yuki Oishi
Silvano Ballone
ON TOUR:
2007, 2009 und 2014 Vienna 2015 Baden-Baden
The program (sold out) and the DVD are available in our online shop
