After three very successful performances in Singapore, the company travels on to Bangkok, one of the most exciting cities in the world. At the moment however, the mood is somewhat subdued as the Thai people prepare for the cremation and state burial of their beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The official ceremony will take place on October 26th. Many people are wearing black and all billboards are covered with images of the deceased king with messages of love and respect for this monarch who reigned for an unprecedented 70 years. Nonetheless the company is very happy to be here performing two performances of John Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew as part of the 19th International Festival of Dance and Music.
Joana Romaneiro, Elena Buschuyeva, Fabio Adorisio, Katarzyna Kozielska, Matteo Miccini and Ami Morita at the airport in Singapore…Waiting for the plane to Bangkok.
First day in the theater: the dancers on their way to the Thailand Cultural Center.
The load in begins: technical and lighting staff of the State Theater Stuttgart work with their Thai colleagues.
Load in and set up in the Thai Cultural Center: the bare, spares walls of the theater transform at top speed into the colorful sets of Cranko’s Taming of the Shrew.
Julliane Franzoi and Elisa Ghisalberti in the courtyard of the theater.
Sonja von Droste hangs up the signage where to find what – indispensable in a theater which most of the dancers and staff are not familiar with.
Controlled chaos: just before company class in the studio.
Alexander Mc Gowan after class.
In Bangkok Adhonay Soares da Silva will have his debut as Petrucchio – here in rehearsal with this Katherina Elisa Badenes.
Reid Anderson coaches Adhonay Soares da Silva for his big debut – here with Elisa Badenes. What luck for this young dancer to receive the many valuable tips and information which Reid Anderson has to impart.
Reid Anderson, Adhonay Soares da Silva, Elisa Badenes.
Reid Anderson checks on one of the more difficult lifts.
Reid Anderson explains one of the lifts to Adhonay Soares da Silva and Elisa Badenes.
At the same time in another studio: David Moore and Hyo-Jung Kang rehears the Pas de deux of Bianca and Lucentio.
Hyo-Jung Kang and David Moore.
Rehearsal for The Taming of the Shrew: Jason Reilly as Petrucchio makes fun of Katherina (Alicia Amatriain).
Inside the company we call the first Pas de deux from the second act the “Floppy Chicken Pas de deux”. Here you can see why. With Jason Reilly as Petrucchio and Alicia Amatriain as Katherina.
The Shrew (Alicia Amatriain) in top form. With Jason Reilly as Petrucchio.
Katherina (Alicia Amatriain) and Petrucchio (Jason Reilly) continue their psychological tug of war.
The biggest challenge in the Pas de deux: the famous lift on the hips.
Ballet Mistress Yseult Lendvai, Associate Artistic Director Tamas Detrich, and Ballet Master Thierry Michel rehearse the ensemble.
Ballet Master Rolando D’Alesio and Leading Repetitor Paul Lewis in rehearsal.
Yseult Lendvai, Tamas Detrich, Thierry Michel at rehearsal.
In the courtyard of the theater a group of girls practices a dance routine and happily pose for our photographer and Principal Dancer Roman Novitzky.
The girls practice!
Principal Dancer Alicia Amatriain joins in, Fabio Adorisio watches.
Fabio Adorisio decides to join in.
David Moore, Mert Erdin, and Christopher Kunzelmann in rehearsal.
Jason Reilly and Alicia Amatriain rehearse the last Pas de deux of Cranko’s The Taming of the Shrew.