The ballet ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ will be performed today at Ruder Boskovic Square. Subversive and controversial same as a novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, this dance represents a criticism of the French aristocracy of the 18th century, relying on the Monarchy and the ancien régime. In the novel, the author tells us about a cruel game of seduction and conquest, displaying demonic characters, with which he contrasts the sensitive world of the virtuous Madame de Tourvel. In the 20th century, the novel went through a sort of ‘renaissance’, seeing many of its movie adaptations, but one of the most famous ones is certainly one directed by Stephen Frears, the main roles portrayed by Glenn Close as the Marquis, John Malkovich as Valmont and Michelle Pfeiffer as Madame de Tourvel. This ballet was created in coproduction with the Dubrovnik Summer Festival, the Ljubljana Festival and the Slovenian National Theatre Maribor.
The ballet was directed and choreographed by the charismatic Valentina Turcu, student of Maurice Béjart, who won many awards, and Leo Mujic, sought for throughout Europe, both as a choreographer and dancer, who is well remembered by the Croatian audience for the ballet ‘Anna Karenina’, first shown this winter in the Croatian National Theater in Zagreb, a ballet choreographed by Mujic. The music used was chosen by Valentina Turcu, using mostly contemporary interpretations of Baroque masters’ compositions, such as Georg F. Händel, Johann S. Bach, Antonio Vivaldi and others. The names of other authors which provide the Festival’s audience with a magnificent ballet experience include costume designer Alan Hranitelj, scene designer Ivan Kirincicć and lights designer Alexandar Cavlek. The brilliant ballet soloists are Antun Bogov, convincingly playing the role of Vicomte de Valmonta, Jelena Lečić, one as if born for the role of Marquise de Merteuil, and Catarina de Menesesas the virtuous Madame de Tourvel, while the other roles are played by the members of the SNT Maribor ballet ensemble.
