Congo, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, South Africa, France… Faustin Linyekula is a traveling artist … through space, but also through time. His new show gives a second life to La Création du monde, a ballet created in 1923 at the Theâtre des Champs-Elysees by a remarkable team of artists: Darius Milhaud for the music, Blaise Cendrars for the libretto, Fernand Léger for the décor and Jean Börlin for the choreography.

Perceived at the time as a “negro-cubist fantasy”, this historic work looks towards Africa more in terms of its highly coloured costumes and its exotic sounds than to its terrible political context.

With 25 dancers from the Lorraine Ballet and eminent artistic partners such as the musician Fabrizio Cassol (heard with Alain Platel and Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker), Faustin Linyekula takes on La Création du monde with the intention of placing it within a new perspective. The Congolese choreographer has no equal for the way in which he jarringly juxtaposes tradition and modernity. With him, memory is no longer content to commemorate; it regenerates from top to bottom, with a healthy dose of extravagance.

Artistic Direction and choreography 2012 Fabrizio Cassol
Musice Fabrizio Cassol
Scenography Jean-Christophe Lanquetin
Costumes Lamine Badian Kouyaté
Lights Virginie Galas
Assistant to the choreography Christophe Béranger

Recreation 1923 : Millicent Hodson et Kenneth Archer

Dialogue with The Sueden Ballets : La Création du monde, ballet by Blaise Cendrars
Choreography after Jean Börlin, version 2000 recreated by Millicent Hodson
Music Darius Milhaud
Curtain, sets and costumes drawings after Fernand Léger, version 2000 recreated by Kenneth Archer
Light Revival Olivier Bauer
Rehearsals Isabelle Bourgeais

With 25 danscers of CCN Ballet de Lorraine
Direction Petter Jacobsson

CATERING AND BAR AT THE ROTONDE
from 6.30PM  (Access by the Ticket Office on Leon Trulin street) and after the performance.

TU 12 FEBRUARY 6PM
DISCUSSION 
FERNAND LÉGER, THE MODERNS AND DANCE
by Alexandre Holin, in collaboration with LaM (Villeneuve d’Ascq). An echo to the LaM Modern Art collections.
Free admission. Reservations 1 month before the performance.
T 0820 48 9000 / billetterie@opera-lille.fr.

WE 13 FEBRUARY AT 9:30 PM
AN ENCOUNTER
with the artists following the performance. Free admission.