EDUCATION Education RESOURCE rnzb.org.nz facebook.com/nzballet 4 Ballets 3 Choreographers 1 Composer SUPPORTED BY NATIONAL TOURING SUPPORTING EDUCATION PARTNER Works by legendary Czech INTRODUCTION choreographer, Jiří Kylián, are sought after and treasured by 4 Ballets dance companies the world 3 Choreographers over. Following acclaimed performances of his Soldier’s 1 Composer Mass in 1998 and 2015, the Royal New Zealand Ballet is honoured Great music inspires great dance this winter, as the to stage two works created Royal New Zealand Ballet brings works by two of the by Kylián for Nederlands Dans greatest choreographers of the 20th and 21st centuries Theater. to New Zealand stages, together with an exciting new commission from New Zealander Corey Baker, the Petite Mort, inspired by Mozart’s first ballet ever created in the frozen wilderness of late piano concertos, was Antarctica. commissioned by the Salzburg Festival in 1991 to mark the 200th anniversary of Mozart’s death, and is one of Kylián’s most celebrated works. It is here paired with Kylián’s Sechs CONTENTS Tänze, created for NDT Dancing with Mozart curriculum links 3 in 1986. Divertimento No. 15 – New Zealand Premiere 12 Great Russian-American choreographer George Petite Mort by Jiří Kylián – New Zealand Premiere 16 Balanchine, founder of New Sechs Tänze by Jiří Kylián – New Zealand Premiere 19 York City Ballet and one of the Dance activity 30 most influential choreographers of all time, considered Mozart’s Answers to activities 32 Divertimento No. 15 in B flat, K287 to be the finest ever written. We are excited to add Balanchine’s Divertimento No. 15, created in 1956 for 16 dancers of New York City Ballet, to our repertoire in 2018, and are delighted to welcome Francia Russell, a celebrated interpreter and teacher of Balanchine’s works, to New Zealand for the first time to stage this work for the RNZB. New Zealand choreographer Corey Baker’s new work, tailor- made for dancers of the Royal New Zealand Ballet, completes this programme of New Zealand – and world – premieres. 2 ©RNZB MAY 2018 DANCING WITH MOZART CURRICULUM LINKS In this unit you and your students will: LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR • Learn about the elements that come LEVELS 7 & 8 together to create a ballet experience. Level 7 students will learn how to: • Identify the processes involved in making a • Understand dance in context – Investigate theatrical production. and evaluate the effects of individual, social, cultural, and technological influences on the development of a variety of dance genres CURRICULUM LINKS IN and styles. THIS UNIT • Develop practical knowledge – Extend skills Values in the vocabulary, practices and technologies Students will be encouraged to value: of selected dance genres and styles. • Innovation, inquiry and curiosity, • Communicate and interpret – Analyse, by thinking critically, creatively and explain and discuss aspects of performance reflectively. and choreography in a range of dance works. • Diversity, as found in our different cultures Level 8 students will learn how to: and heritages. • Understand dance in context – • Community and participation for the Investigate, analyse, and discuss the features, common good. history, issues, and development of dance in New Zealand, including the contribution of selected individuals and groups. KEY COMPETENCIES • Develop practical knowledge – Extend • Using language, symbols and text – and refine skills, practices, and use of Students will recognise how choices of technologies in a range of dance genres language and symbols in live theatre affect and styles. people’s understanding and the ways in • Communicate and interpret – Critically which they respond. analyse, interpret, and evaluate the artistic • Relating to others – Students will develop features and the communication of ideas in a the ability to listen actively and share ideas range of dance works. regarding theatrical ballet performances. • Participating and contributing – Students will be actively involved in their cultural NCEA community, understanding the importance Dancing with Mozart, and the use of this of creative environments. resource, is ideal for NCEA level dance teachers and students who are learning to analyse and • Thinking – Students will reflect on their appreciate a dance performance. own thinking and learning after the personal experience of attending a live theatre show. ©RNZB MAY 2018 3 WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1819) Born: Salzburg, Austria, 27 January, 1756 had expensive ARTIST: BARBARA KRAFT Died: Vienna, Austria, 5 December 1791 tastes: he rented a large fashionable Baptised Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus apartment in Theophilus, the composer more usually known Vienna, bought as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in fancy wigs and Salzburg, Austria in 1756. His father Leopold was clothes, had large a well-known violinist, teacher and composer medical bills, and he taught his two children music, languages and a gambling and academic subjects. It was soon evident that problem. Mozart Wolfgang was especially gifted. married Constanze By the age of three Mozart could play the piano Weber in 1782 and violin, and was composing music before he and together they turned five. By six years old, he was a famous had six children, child prodigy who was invited to perform in but only two sons front of royalty all over Europe. Everywhere he survived beyond went people were amazed at his talent. He was childhood. One winter, a neighbour saw the called a “rare musical genius”, and the Emperor family dancing in their living room just to keep of Austria even called him a “little magician”. warm because they couldn’t afford to keep a Travelling by horse-drawn coach was cold, dusty fire going. and uncomfortable, and Mozart frequently fell In 1791, when he was already suffering from ill- ill. As a result, Mozart was often weak and sickly health he began composing a Requiem, a setting throughout his life. of the Roman Catholic Mass for the Dead which At the age of 12 Mozart wrote his first opera. some see as a portent of his death at the early He continued to astonish everyone by his ability age of 35. Mozart was buried in a communal, to listen to music and singing, go home, and unmarked grave in the St. Marx Cemetery. then write down all the notes perfectly, with no Whether this was to save money or was done mistakes… from memory! in accordance with the edict of Emperor Franz But life as an adult was much harder for Mozart. Joseph II that advocated simple burials and He was no longer a child star and, at that time, no memorial headstones, it was a sad end for musicians and composers were regarded as one of the world’s best known and most loved servants. Talented and ambitious, Mozart would composers. complain about how he was treated and he Music was Mozart’s life. From his earliest years frequently lost his jobs. until his untimely death he wrote enormous Mozart enjoyed an extravagant lifestyle, amounts of music with apparent ease. We although his income as a freelance composer are often amazed how despite his trials and and performer was sporadic and he was often tribulations he could produce music that is filled short of money. Even when he earned large with such wonder and joy. But his music also sums it would disappear quickly because he expresses the fullest range of human emotions and this is why he is so universally admired. 4 ©RNZB MAY 2018 MOZART TIMELINE 1756 1777 – 1781 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Unhappy with his job in was born on January 27 in Salzburg, Mozart resigns. Salzburg, Austria. He composes and travels throughout Europe in search of better job options. 1761 Mozart’s first public 1779 performance at 5 years old. He returns to Salzburg He was already recognized as and gets a job as the court a child prodigy. organist and concert master in Salzburg. 1760S Travels across Europe 1782 performing in royal palaces Mozart moves to Vienna, and imperial courts. producing a vast number of compositions including operas. He also fell in love 1768 and married Constanze Mozart writes his first opera Weber. 1788 – 1789 La finta semplice, in Vienna, Mozart's popularity Austria. begins to fade. He 1783 continues performing, Mozart writes one of his but his concerts were less 1769 most famous pieces, Mass well attended. Travels to Italy to perform in C minor. and study opera. 1789 – 1790 1786 – 1787 Mozart composes his 1773 Mozart travels twice to opera Così fan tutte. Appointed the court musician Prague for the premieres by the ruler of Salzburg. of two of his operas, first The Marriage of Figaro 1791 and later Don Giovanni. Mozart becomes popular again with his opera The Magic Flute. Begins 1788 working on the Requiem, Beethoven comes to Vienna but before completing it, to study with Mozart. dies on December 5 at the age of 35. ©RNZB MAY 2018 5 MOZART FACTS • In his short life he wrote over 600 pieces Mozart was the finest composer he knew. of music. If you listened to all of the music • Every year in his birthplace, Salzburg, Mozart composed for eight hours a day it Austria, there is a festival in Mozart’s would take you almost a month to listen to honour to celebrate his amazing music. it all! • Modern scientists believe that listening • Mozart could write music before he wrote to classical music (especially Mozart’s words. music) can make you smarter, and this • The Mozart family gave each other phenomenon is called “The Mozart Effect”. nicknames – Mozart was known as ‘Wolfie’ • Mozart hated the flute! and his sister Anna Maria was called ‘Nannerl’. • Mozart is known sufferer of a rare sensory condition known as “Synthesia”, allowing • After only hearing a piece of music once, him to perceive different sounds as forms he could play it perfectly without any sheet of colour.