Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Profoundly visceral presentations of dance and music: Sharon Eyal’s R.O.S.E. and Caroline Shaw’s PARTITA FOR 8 VOICES

• By drediman
• September 8, 2024
• No Comments

This week, I encountered a pair of uniquely immersive presentations that made live dance and music performances come alive in the most visceral of ways. Read on for my thoughts on these singular experiences, whose out-of-the-box creativity have yielded huge payoffs.

R.O.S.E.
Park Avenue Armory
Through September 12

First up is Israeli choreographer Sharon Eyal’s latest work R.O.S.E. (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED), which is currently enjoying its sold out American premiere this week at the massive drill hall at the Park Avenue Armory. For this hybrid endeavor, Eyal has joined forces with her partner Gai Behar — a notable pioneer of the underground club scene — to place her distinctive choreographic vision amidst a dance club environment. Eyal and Behar are joined by innovative collaborators Caius Pawson and DJ Ben UFO (whose work in the booth is a throwback to the iconic beats of The Chemical Brothers), who both bring an added sense of excitement and authenticity to the project. Upon entering the space, you’ll be greeted by a convincing club setting, which is occasionally punctuated by the dreamlike appearances of Eyal’s ensemble of dancers — a mix of Eyal’s company dancers and New York-based performers (garbed in exotic, skin-hugging lace costumes) — who interject themselves into the crowded, throbbing dance floor in deadpan, alien-like manner. Eyal’s choreography here exudes her unmistakable aesthetic — a hypnotic, pulsating display informed by voguing, intense discipline, and organic ensemble work. Admittedly, it’s a style that can at times register as monotonous in a traditional proscenium theater, but here, the slinking yet tension-filled choreography harnesses the energy and freedom of the dance floor to electrify their appearances. As you can imagine, R.O.S.E. is a fiercely democratic experience, one which affords shifting perspectives and a welcome sense of self-determination. It’s the kind of adventurous and bespoke programming that the Armory should be more invested in.

CAROLINE SHAW’S PARTITA
Death of Classical presents Fourth Wall Ensemble at Green-Wood Cemetery
Through September 7

Performance by performance, the folks over at Death of Classical are actively chipping away at our preconceptions of what constitutes classical music concerts. By creating approachable, experiential outings — immersive, multi-sensory affairs, often in unconventional and acoustically astounding venues like crypts, catacombs, and cemeteries — in which to take in live music, they’ve gone a long way in dispelling the stuffiness that many associate with the “concert hall” experience. Most importantly, such intimate concerts allow for personalized ways to take in music in its maximum potency. This week’s wonderfully curated presentation (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED) at the catacombs of the gorgeous, sprawling Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn is absolute no different. In short, the program — which is performed by the terrific Fourth Wall Ensemble — charts the evolution of choral music over the centuries. Commencing with the attention-grabbing prologue Improvisations On Medieval Chant, the bill continued with William Byrd’s serenely soaring “Agnus Dei” from Mass for Four Voices and continued with Monteverdi’s more dramatically astute Lagrime D’amante al Sepolcro dell’amata. Indeed, each composition is notable for having pushed the limits of expressivity of the human voice, culminating in two works by Caroline Shaw — and the swallow and the main draw, the composer’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Partita for 8 Voices. Both were profound and powerful experiences, with the latter marrying the defined structure of dance with deep humanism in transporting ways. Suffice to say, Fourth Wall Ensemble is the ideal conduit for such a concert. As led by Christopher Allen, each member sang with disarming character and color; together they harmonized with conviction and instinctual flair.