masterpieces of the 20th century
1999

Leigh Warren chose three outstanding works for the Masterpieces of the 20th Century project. Choreographed over a span of some 50 years, the works informed Warren's own development as a dancer/choreographer and were chosen for their musical importance as well as for the choreography. They have appeal for classical ballet, as well as contemporary dance, audiences.

Pierrot Lunaire - choreographed by Glen Tetley
Glen Tetley consented to LWD presenting his masterpiece Pierrot Lunaire, first danced by Tetley himself in its New York premiere. Inspired by the three principle characters from the commedia dell'arte, it is a poetic, humorous and dramatic interpretation of Schoenberg's revolutionary work of the same name.

Judgement of Paris - choreographed by Antony Tudor
A satirical gem choreographed by Antony Tudor in 1938 and later introduced into the Ballet Rambert repertoire. Set to Kurt Weill's Suite from the Threepenny Opera, the work parallels the famous classical story of Paris judging the three graces. In the contemporary setting of a sordid night bar, the three graces become three rather mature ladies of the night and Paris becomes an inebriated potential customer.

Silent Cries - choreographed by Jirí Kylián
Jirí Kylián, with whom Warren worked closely for six years at Nederlands Dans Theater, completes the programme with his brilliant work Silent Cries. Set to Debussy's Prelude a l'Apres-Midi d'un Faun, the choreography's extraordinary simplicity is a poetic foil for the subtlety and depth of the music and the solo dancer.

These three works are intricately connected to Leigh Warren's history; he has worked with all three choreographers - as a dancer, making a number of original works with Tetley and Kylián. The programme represented an important milestone in the company's development, in that it was the first time that LWD had presented an entire programme of non-company choreographers. It challenged dancers to perform roles previously performed by some of the masters of modern dance.