Dorian is the third joint production by choreographers Ernst Meisner and Marco Gerris. In this adaptation of Oscar Wilde's famous book The Picture of Dorian Gray, published in 1891, the two take a thriller-like approach full of tension and suspense. This time, in addition to the dancers of the Junior Company and ISH Dance Collective, dancers from the Dutch National Ballet are also participating in this production. Dorian is a exhilarating mix of hip-hop and ballet.
Oscar Wilde's philosophical novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is about the strive for eternal youth and the complete loss of self in this process. Dorian Gray, the main character, wishes that he could remain as young and handsome as he is depicted in the portrait his friend Basil made him, and that instead his image in the painting would grow older and uglier.
Meisner and Gerris follow the storyline of Wilde's book in their production, but place the story in an eccentric, contemporary setting. Main character Dorian goes completely overboard in his lust for beauty and adoration, with all the consequences that entails. He ends up in a downward spiral and gets entangled in a labyrinth in which he can no longer separate reality and fantasy. Just as in Narnia and GRIMM, Meisner and Gerris also blend different dance styles into a surprisingly vibrant mix of hip-hop and ballet in Dorian.
Joey Roukens, one of the Netherlands' most famous young composers at the moment, is writing a new full-length piece of music especially for Dorian. In recent years, he has composed works for various Dutch and international orchestras, including the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, of which he was a resident composer. Meisner and Roukens have previously worked together on the ballet In Transit. In larger theatres, Roukens' new composition will be performed live by Het Balletorkest.
Choreografie: Ernst Meisner en Marco Gerris
Muziek: Joey Roukens
Fotocredits: Dominik Wagner
Lees meer over Dorian
Klik hier om een interview te lezen met artistiek leider Marco Gerris.