Tenebre – Marieluise Jeitschko, Tanznetz

“As yet little known in Germany, South African-born choreographer Hubert Essakow has been commissioned by Martin Schläpfer to create a new work for his company. ‘Tenebre’ (Darkness) presents an intense contrast of mood to Taylor’s ‘Esplanade’. The proximity of death is tangible, of a human life beyond sunshine and light. The aesthetic of three full length paintings or lino cuts with half abstract bones, trees and paths is carried over into the costumes (designer: Merle Hensel). These resemble Balanchine’s black “bathing suits” in a classy haute couture design. The movement of the female dancers is markedly artificial, on pointe, and they celebrate rituals in solos and duets. Once again brilliant solos stand out by Marlúcia do Amaral with Rashaen Arts, Yuko Kato with Eric White, and So-Yeon Kim with Marcos Menha. The American film and concert composer Bryce Dessner adds a further touch of contemporary art at a world class level to this new ballet with his rhythmically harsh but acoustically delicate minimal music (solo viola: Ralf Buchkremer). There has not been such an aesthetic ‘concert’ of the arts on the German ballet stage since the days of Uwe Scholz.”