Dämmerung

Photo: Joris-Jan Bos
On this photo: Jeanne Solan, Gary Chryst

Choreographer: Martha Clarke

'Dämmerung', that was premiered by NDT 3 in April 1993, is set to a number of songs by composer Alban Berg.
In creating this ballet Martha Clarke was inspired by dancer Gary Chryst, who at the time performed the ballet together with Jeanne Solan. In this ballet, Chrysts reflected on his own life, and on the death of Rudolf Nurejev. Another source of inspiration formed a photo of a farmer om his way to a party in the countryside, by August Sander. According to Clarke, the farmer looked exactly like Chryst.
The ballet’s atmosphere is one of fear and desolation, in which a man and a woman do not seem to succeed in reaching each other. The movements are small and subtle, but have an enormous expressiveness. As a duet, the work is especially interesting from a theatrical point of view. The Times declared Chrysts performance of 'Dämmerung' 'Performance of the Year'.