CCSN FALL SCHEDULE

 

CSN Orchestra - Dec. 1

Dance Concert - Dec 5 & 6

Jazz Combo - Dec 7

Mariachi Band - Dec 8

Concert Band - Dec 9

Big Band - Dec 10

Choral Concert Dec 11

CSN DANCE PRESENTS "Bonaparte"




Premiere Highlights CSN Fall Dance Concert
Friday DEC. 5 at 7:00 PM and Saturday DEC. 6 at 2:00 PM
Community College of Southern Nevada, Cheyenne Campus

Nicholas J. Horn Theatre

3200 East Cheyenne Avenue
Eroica, the revolutionary third symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven, is a work historically linked with the onset of musical Romanticism. Indeed, the circumstances of the work’s creation are the stuff of legend, encompassing not only the realm of aesthetics but also the arena of politics and gigantic personalities representing each. In CSN Dance Program leader Kelly Roth’s new ballet BONAPARTE, the choreographer presents kinetic pictures of an age wherein the common people placed hope for change in one of their own, only to find he was, as Beethoven is purported to have quipped, "just a rascal, like all the others!"



Beethoven completed his third symphony in 1804. Unlike the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart (and his own,) works concerned with classical balance, emotional temperament, and adherence to established form, the youthful composer created an expanded palette capable of expressing the liberating passions sweeping Europe and the New World. The resulting symphony pushed and tore at the genre, reflecting the big, new ideas of the time with passions harmonic and dissonant, jarring dynamic contrasts, zealously incessant rhythmic sequences, and an heroic overall length doubling the duration of a standard Classical symphony!

The motivation for Beethoven’s radical break with musical norms is a point of much discussion and debate among historians and musicologists. However, the impetus for Roth’s new ballet hearkens back to the well-loved tale surrounding the composer’s inspiration for the symphony, namely Napoleon Bonaparte. 2

Having climbed out of a humble background himself, Beethoven admired the French general’s assent to power from common roots. Indeed, Beethoven once defiantly chided a patron, "Prince, what you are you are by accident of birth; what I am I am through myself. There have been and still will be thousands of princes; there is only one Beethoven." George R. Marek, Beethoven: Biography of a Genius



Though a German, whose country was at various intervals an enemy of France, the composer, in concordance with many European intellectuals, admired Napoleon’s stemming the tide of chaotic excess that characterized the end of the French Revolution. More than this, Beethoven saw Napoleon as a man with a mission, pulling down the oppressive aristocratic regimes of Europe while empowering the common folk with the "liberty, equality, and fraternity" promised by the Revolution.

Roth’s ballet mixes abstract and literal narrative, presenting his student and professional cast dancing the delirium of newfound freedom, the gratitude of those liberated, the joy of creativity …and the eventual cynicism and disappointment inherent in worshipping tin soldiers.
Explaining Beethoven’s disillusionment with his former French hero, the composer’s secretary recounted: "In writing this symphony Beethoven had been thinking of Bonaparte, but Bonaparte while he was First Consul. At that time Beethoven had the highest esteem for him and compared him to the greatest consuls of ancient Rome. Not only I, but many of Beethoven¹s closer friends, saw this symphony on his table, beautifully copied in manuscript, with the word "Bonaparte" inscribed at the very top of the title-page and "Luigi van Beethoven" at the very bottom. I was the first to tell him the news that Bonaparte had declared himself Emperor, whereupon he broke into a rage and exclaimed, ‘So he is no more than a common mortal! Now, too, he will tread under foot all the rights of man, indulge only his ambition; now he will think himself superior to all men, become a tyrant!’ Beethoven went to the table, seized the top of the title-page, tore it in half and threw it on the floor. The page had to be re-copied and it was only now that the symphony received the title ‘Sinfonia eroica.’" Ferdinand Ries, Biographische Notizen über Ludwig van Beethoven



Drawing on these elements the ballet utilizes the symphony’s four movements in the following scenario:

I. LIBERTY, EQUALITY, FRATERNITY!!!

The corps de ballet revels in the motion of freedom.

Napoleon is introduced, celebrated, and followed. Beethoven observes admiringly.

II. ABSOLUTE POWER

Napoleon finds "the crown of France in the gutter" and determines to make it his own. Beethoven, while uplifting the downtrodden with visions of liberation, is informed that Napoleon will crown himself Emperor of the Republic. Napoleon’s coronation unfolds. Beethoven looks on in anger. The common people of France come to pay homage to the new emperor. Beethoven retracts his dedication.

III. WITHIN REASON

Disillusioned with mere mortals the dance and music rejoice in the abstract. 3

　



IV. FINE EROICA (HEROIC CONCLUSION)

A parade of characters from the ballet dances through Beethoven’s ingenious variations and final coda.

Appearing in the iconic role of Napoleon is CSN adjunct faculty member, Cynthia DuFault. Kelly Roth dances the tinnitus plagued Beethoven. CSN adjunct faculty member, Jennifer Roberts creates the role of Empress Josephine. Members of the CSN Dance Ensemble and Concert Dance Company support the production as courtesans, soldiers, and peasants. Costumes are by the multi-tasking Ms. DuFault who will also be premiering a new chorographic work set on the students.

Additionally, CSN dance student Chris Leggett and violist Tobias Kremer Roth venture into the realm of instant composition and instant performance as they play off each other’s respective skills in a music/dance impromptu.

Leslie Kremer Roth, Artistic Director of Kremer Dance Collective, rounds out the concert with the premiere of "Joining Forces," a quirky, spacey movement quartet to an instrumental piece titled "Joe Slam and the Spaceship" by Harry Connick.

For additional information and/or photos, please contact the CSN Dance Program at 702-504-4578 or kelly.roth@csn.ed

The CSN Performing Arts Center is located at 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. in North Las Vegas. General admission is $10.00, students and seniors $8.00.
For reservations, please call the CSN Box Office at 651-LIVE (5483).



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