SYREN Modern Dance presents Pelleas et Melisande and the last of the leaves March 27, 2009

SYREN Modern Dance presents the New York premiere of Pelleas et Melisande and the world premiere of the last of the leaves in an evening accompanied by live music in the company's Sixth New York Season March 26-28 at The Ailey Citigroup Theater. The movement in Pelleas et Melisande travels through swells of grandeur and moments of subtle nuance. The themes of marriage, lust, and loss, as defined in the original opera, are explored by six dancers, as they remain tightly in sync with Sibelius’ intricate score. Highly physical, the last of the leaves uses the driving and churning idiosyncrasies of John Adam’s Shaker Loops to explore the many mysteries surrounding cycles of human life. Birth, illness, death, and the different energies needed to experience them, are points of departure for this piece as eight dancers journey through qualities both distant and tender.

SYREN Modern Dance was founded in 2002 by SUNY Purchase graduates, Kate Mehan and Lynn Peterson. SYREN Modern Dance is vigorously powerful elegance in motion. In order for dance to be a strong, supported presence in society, SYREN is dedicated to producing high caliber, accessible work to spark a continued interest of the public in modern dance. The directors believe all who choose to
witness it can understand modern dance. SYREN dares to create compellingly, commits to teaching thoughtfully, perseveres to perform dynamically, and unites to generously share dance with the next generation.

Official Website: http://www.syrendance.org