Now In Korea
Pina Bausch’s ‘Carnation’ Returns to the Stage After 16 Years
Creatrip Team
a month ago
LG Arts Center revives Pina Bausch’s early Tanztheater work Carnation for its 25th anniversary, presenting performances in Seoul (Nov 6–9) and Sejong (Nov 14–15). First premiered in 1982, Carnation is famed for its stage covered with 9,000 carnations and exemplifies Tanztheater (a hybrid of dance and theater). Tanztheater was shaped by Bausch after she became artistic director of Wuppertal’s company in 1973; she combined dance, theater, music, set design and everyday gestures to create a new form. After Bausch’s death in 2009, the company continued touring her repertory. This revival mainly features recently joined young dancers (17 of 19), with two rehearsal directors who worked with Bausch overseeing faithful restaging. The article questions whether performances will become archival as the original dancers age and pass, noting differences between ballet’s tradition of preservation and modern dance’s historical vulnerability. It also outlines how some major modern dance companies transformed into repertoire companies or trusts (e.g., Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham Trust) to preserve work posthumously. Wuppertal Tanztheater has faced leadership and direction challenges since Bausch’s sudden death, and the current tour includes interim artistic director Daniel Sieghaus.
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