The new production by the director Alain Platel and composer Fabrizio Cassol, who together made the outstanding "vsprs" (2006), is based on Bach's "Matthew Passion". This masterpiece transforms the story of Christ's Passion into sublime music. This is music one cannot and must not really ever tinker with. Cassol has not simply ‘adapted' Bach's music, but has written a new story. "pitié !" does not slavishly follow Matthew the evangelist's tale, nor the poetic version by Bach's own librettist. Cassol focuses on a mother's pain (a non-existent part in the original Matthew Passion), regarding the inevitable sacrifice of her descendants. Here the part of Christ is adapted for two twin souls with a common destiny. This choice gives the composition meaning and direction.This basis led Cassol to opt for three singers: a soprano for the mother and two voices very similar to each other (alto/mezzo and countertenor) as the children. The orchestra is based on the Aka Moon trio, with the addition of some colourful nomadic personalities such as Magic Malik (flute and vocals), Tcha Limberger (violin), Philippe Thuriot and Krassimir Sterev (accordion), and others.Erbarme dich is one of the best-known arias in "the Matthew Passion", and this is one of the foundations for the music and content of "pitié !" Does our ability to sympathise extend beyond pity? Compassion is a tainted word and is often associated with condescension. But isn't it something we intensely yearn for when we find life and death too onerous? But "the Matthew Passion" is primarily about the individual's ultimate sacrifice: himself. At the present time it seems absurd to ask for what or whom one would be prepared to sacrifice one's life. But it is nevertheless the one Platel wants to ask the dancers with whom he intends to work on the ‘bastard' dance form so much his own. Building on the experience gained from "vsprs", this dance form seeks a physical translation of over-intense emotions and aspires to something that transcends the individual.

Hildegard De Vuyst, February 2008

Source : Ballets C. de la B.

Alain Platel is trained as a remedial educationalist, and is an autodidact director. In 1984 he set up a small group with a number of friends and relatives to work collectively. "Emma" (1988) signalled his concentration on directing. He was responsible for "Bonjour Madame" (1993), "La Tristeza Complice" (1995) and "Iets op Bach" (1998), with which les ballets C de la B (as the group was now called) rocketed to the international top. In the meantime his collaboration with Arne Sierens had a similar effect on the Ghent youth theatre company Victoria, with the three plays "Moeder en Kind" (1995), Bernadetje (1996) and "Allemaal Indiaan" (1999).
After Allemaal Indiaan he announced that he was stopping making productions. But shortly afterwards Gerard Mortier persuaded him to do "Wolf" (2003) based on Mozart for the Ruhrtriennale. The choir project for the opening of the new KVS marked the start of close collaboration with the composer Fabrizio Cassol. "vsprs" (2006) proved to be a turning point in his career. So far his work had been exuberant in both the diversity of performers and the themes, but now it became more profound and intense and revealed a world of passion and desire. And violence, as in "Nine Finger" (2007) with Benjamin Verdonck and Fumiyo Ikeda.

"After the baroque pitié!" (2008), "Out Of Context – for Pina" (January 2010) is an almost ascetic reflection of the movement repertoire of spasms and tics. Platel consistently continues to search this language of movement for incarnations of feelings that are too vast. The yearning for something transcending the individual is becoming more and more palpable.
In collaboration with director Frank Van Laecke, he created "Gardenia" (June 2010), a production in which the closing of a transvestite cabaret affords us a glimpse into the private lives of a memorable group of old artists. In 2015 Alain Platel and Frank Van Laecke renew their collaboration, this time joined by composer Steven Prengels, for "En avant, marche !" a performance about a society inspired by the tradition of fanfare orchestras and brass bands.
"C(H)ŒURS" (2012), so far Platel’s biggest project, is created on demand of opera director Gerard Mortier. He got to work with the famous choral scenes from Verdi’s operas, later on he added pieces of music from Richard Wagner’s works. In "C(H)ŒURS" he examines –together with his dancers and the Teatro Real choir – how ‘dangerously beautiful’ a group can be. The political connotation in performances such as "tauberbach" (2014) and "Coup Fatal" (in collaboration with Fabrizio Cassol 2014) lies in the joie de vivre and energy that is displayed on stage to show how people sometimes live or even survive in undignified circumstances (a landfill in tauberbach and the real living conditions of the musicians from Congo in Coup Fatal). “Lust for life” as a way of rebellion.

But let it be clear, Platel is not just into large scale projects nowadays. In the recent past, he worked on small projects such as Nachtschade (for Victoria in 2006) and coaching work for amongst others Pieter and Jakob Ampe and their production "Jake & Pete’s big reconciliation attempt for the disputes form the past" (in 2011). Two projects which have had a significant influence on his way of perceiving theatre. He also almost surreptitiously entered the arena of the dance film together with the British director Sophie Fiennes ("Because I Sing" in 2001, "Ramallah!Ramallah!Ramallah!" in 2005 and "VSPRS Show and Tell" in 2007) and solo with de balletten en ci en là (2006), an impressive view of what goes on in a twenty-year-old dance company, taking us all the way to Vietnam and Burkina Faso, but also and mainly being an ode to his home town Ghent.

Source: Les Ballets C de la B

More information : lesballetscdela.be

Author, filmmaker and video artist Charles Picq (1952-2012) entered working life in the 70s through theatre and photography. A- fter resuming his studies (Maîtrise de Linguistique - Lyon ii, Maîtrise des sciences et Techniques de la Communication - grenoble iii), he then focused on video, first in the field of fine arts at the espace Lyonnais d'art Contemporain (ELAC) and with the group « Frigo », and then in dance.
   On creation of the Maison de la Danse in Lyon in 1980, he was asked to undertake a video documentation project that he has continued ever since. During the ‘80s, a decade marked in France by the explosion of contemporary dance and the development of video, he met numerous artists such as andy Degroat, Dominique Bagouet, Carolyn Carlson, régine Chopinot, susanne Linke, Joëlle Bouvier and regis Obadia, Michel Kelemenis. He worked in the creative field with installations and on-stage video, as well as in television with recorded shows, entertainment and documentaries.

His work with Dominique Bagouet (80-90) was a unique encounter. He documents his creativity, assisting with Le Crawl de Lucien and co-directing with his films Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux and 10 anges. in the 90s he became director of video development for the Maison de la Danse and worked, with the support of guy Darmet and his team, in the growing space of theatre video through several initiatives:
       - He founded a video library of dance films with free public access. This was a first for France. Continuing the video documentation of theatre performances, he organised their management and storage.
       - He promoted the creation of a video-bar and projection room, both dedicated to welcoming school pupils.
       - He started «présentations de saisons» in pictures.
       - He oversaw the DVD publication of Le tour du monde en 80 danses, a pocket video library produced by the Maison de la Danse for the educational sector.

       - He launched the series “scènes d'écran” for television and online. He undertook the video library's digital conversion and created Numeridanse.

His main documentaries are: enchaînement, Planète Bagouet, Montpellier le saut de l'ange, Carolyn Carlson, a woman of many faces, grand ecart, Mama africa, C'est pas facile, Lyon, le pas de deux d'une ville, Le Défilé, Un rêve de cirque.

He has also produced theatre films: Song, Vu d'ici (Carolyn Carlson), Tant Mieux, Tant Mieux, 10 anges, Necesito and So schnell, (Dominique Bagouet), Im bade wannen, Flut and Wandelung (Susanne Linke), Le Cabaret Latin (Karine Saporta), La danse du temps (Régine Chopinot), Nuit Blanche (Abou Lagraa), Le Témoin (Claude Brumachon), Corps est graphique (Käfig), Seule et WMD (Françoise et Dominique Dupuy), La Veillée des abysses (James Thiérrée), Agwa (Mourad Merzouki), Fuenteovejuna (Antonio Gades), Blue Lady revistied (Carolyn Carlson).

Source: Maison de la Danse de Lyon

Artistic Direction: Alain Platel

Creation: 1984

Les Ballets C de la B (Belgian Contemporary Ballet), formed by Alain Platel in 1984, is a company now regularly acclaimed in Begium and elsewhere. Over time it has adopted a working-platform structure which brings together several choreographers. Christine De Smedt and Koen Augustijnen figure alongside Alain Platel; Hans Van den Broeck and Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui have also taken part. Since its inception, Les Ballets C de la B has been committed to involving talented young artists, active in different disciplines and from varied backgrounds, in the dynamic creative process. The company is currently host to two guest choreographers, Lisi Estaràs and Ted Stoffer. The unique mix of diverse artistic visions, which feed each other, makes it impossible to define the Ballets precisely. Nevertheless, a kind of “house style” is emerging. It is popular, anarchic, eclectic and engaged, under the motto “This dance is part of the world and the world belongs to everyone.”  

Source: Les ballets C de la B 's website

More information : lesballetscdela.be