DORIAN GRAY

German premiere for a danced novel

Following Enrique Gasa Valga’s dance gala during the ball season, which offers our visitors an extensive showcase of the internationally successful choreographer’s work, we present Dorian Gray, one of three German premieres with the Limonada Dance Company. The production is based on Oscar Wilde’s novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, which was published in 1890 and is considered a manifesto of aestheticism.

A modern reinterpretation of a myth

For Gasa Valga, the story is a modern reinterpretation of the “myth of Narcissus”: both characters fall in love with their own reflection – whether in the surface of water or on a screen. The choreographer delves deep into the vulnerability of our human soul and spirit, exploring the temptations and pleasures to which they succumb. The piece reveals their feelings and instincts, their mistakes and their regrets.

The music serves as a common thread, providing a mix of timeless classics that have been rearranged for a seven-piece band, as well as new compositions arranged especially for this production by musical director Roberto Tubaro. Elisa Gobbi, Greta Marcolongo and Jana Stöckler-Spazier guide Dorian and the audience through the story in the roles of the three ‘Dark Soul Girls’ as Henry’s angels (or rather ‘demons’). The stage design by Helfried Lauckner and the costumes by Birgit Edelbauer-Heiss captivate with their elegant yet pop-inspired 1950s flair.

Controversial and celebrated

Set in late 18th-century London, the novel tells the story of a beautiful young man named Dorian Gray, who is captivated by the hedonistic ideals of the “dandy” Henry Wotton. The story takes a dark turn when Dorian wishes that his portrait – painted by his good friend, the sensitive and talented painter Basil Hallward – would age in his place. Over the course of the story, a moral decline becomes apparent, resulting from his dissolute lifestyle.

Historically, the novel was controversial when it was first published and was criticised for its supposed ‘offensiveness’. Over time, the story has become a celebrated work, appreciated for its sharp wit, social analysis and profound exploration of philosophical themes.

Fotos © Peter Koren