Two of Australia's leading arts ensembles have joined forces to merge music and movement in Project Rameau, being presented as part of the Canberra Theatre Centre's Collected Works Australia 2013 centenary season.
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The Australian Chamber Orchestra (artistic director Richard Tognetti) and Sydney Dance Company (artistic director Rafael Bonachela) have taken selections from some of the works of baroque composers Jean-Philippe Rameau, Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Sebastian Bach to form a narrative thread.
It is enacted on stage through the orchestra - under guest director and lead violinist Dale Barltrop - and the dancers, choreographed by Bonachela in various combinations.
''It starts with a number that evokes sleep, then there's the entrance of the characters, then a storm sequence,'' Barltrop said.
The emotional centre of the performance is a pas de deux accompanied by Barltrop on solo violin playing the Sarabande from Bach's Partita No.1 in B Minor BMV 1002.
''That's an extremely poignant moment - it's where everything goes to and comes from in the piece,'' Barltrop said.
''We finish off with classic folk dance elements … then really finish with a regal Chaconne. There's a whole gamut of emotions and musical styles in the space of an hour.'' The Australian musician trained in the United States and for the past four years has been concertmaster of the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra. Next year he will also be one of the concertmasters of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra.
Project Rameau marks Barltrop's Canberra debut but dancer Thomas Bradley has been here to perform at least three times. He joined Sydney Dance Company last year and said one of the best things about Project Rameau was having the orchestra on stage.
''It's an incredible opportunity for live music and it's even better because they're not underneath us in the pit,'' he said. ''There's an amazing amount of energy coming out of the orchestra.''
Bradley said he had a solo about two-thirds through in the Contredanse en rondeau.
''It's extraordinary and nerve-racking,'' he said. ''It's a very playful solo.''
Bradley said working with Rafael Bonachela has been ''a very collaborative process. He tasks us to generate movement, he plays with it and puts his spin on it … we all contribute a bit.''
■ Project Rameau is on at the Canberra Theatre until Saturday at 7.30 nightly. Tickets $50-$73. Bookings: 6275 2700 or canberratheatrecentre.com.au