Coleman Lemieux presents "From the House of Mirth" May 9, 2012

Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie present the world premiere of
From the House of Mirth
“No one will ever know the cost of beauty”
directed and choreographed by James Kudelka

Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie (CLC) proudly presents the world premiere of From the House of Mirth, directed and choreographed by the legendary James Kudelka from May 9 through May 12, 2012 at its new home, The Citadel, in honour of the150th anniversary of Edith Wharton’s birth.

Kudelka, resident choreographer for CLC, turns to America’s Gilded Age and Edith Wharton’s 1905 novel, The House of Mirth, as inspiration for his latest work. From the House of Mirth is a music/dance/theatre collaboration with original score by Rodney Sharman and libretto by Alex Poch-Goldin, featuring both choreography and theatrical direction by Kudelka.

The novel tells of Lily Bart’s tragic descent from the glittering social circle of 1890s New York to poverty and a solitary death, her dreams of marriage – whether for wealth or love – shattered by convention and by her own conflicted desires.

Telling the story “not as a ballet,” says Kudelka, “not as an opera, and not as a sung play,” each of the art forms picks up the thread in turn. When the dance can no longer support the complexity of the drama, other devices take over the storytelling. When emotions swell to the breaking point, the live music fills the space and carries us along its own intricate journey.

Singers and the dancers appear together on stage, but only the male characters cue the story through song; the female characters are silent, danced by four of Canada’s finest performers. They are accompanied by a 5-piece chamber orchestra consisting of piano, harmonium, harp, violin and cello.

Coleman Lemieux & Compagnie presents the world premiere of From the House of Mirth
a music/dance/theatre collaboration
directed and choreographed by James Kudelka
original music composed by Rodney Sharman, libretto by Alex Poch-Goldin
May 9 to May 13, 2012 at The Citadel, 304 Parliament Street, Toronto
Wed-Sat at 8pm with matinees May 10 at 3pm, May 12 at 4pm and May 13 at 4pm.
Tickets: $50 except May 10 at 3pm is Pay-What-You-Can and May 10 at 8pm is a Gala with tickets at $100.
Box Office: 416-364-8011 or online at colemanlemieux.com
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