A distinctly Norwegian spin on the famous saying “The only things worth writing about are love and death”, goes “The only things worth writing about are love, death, and the ocean”. In Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s famous 1888 social problem play “The Lady from The Sea”, we are served generous helpings of all three.
Old territory
The National Ballet of China is doing a series of spring workshops for the second time in 2011. This year’s foreign guest choreographer is Un-Magritt Nordseth from Norway. Nordseth is not a stranger neither to the dance and theatre environment in China nor to the works of Henrik Ibsen. Last year she choreographed and directed the Beijing premiere of a modern dance version of Ibsen’s world-famous “A Doll’s House” starring Jin Xing as Nora. However, her ties with China go all the way back to 2003 when she choreographed a Chinese-Norwegian co-production of Ibsen’s “Peer Gynt”. "The workshop offers a platform for talented young Chinese artists with dreams and inspiration to make full use of their abilities and take part in the creation, including choreography, lighting and design," Work Shop's director Fei Bo tells the Global Times.
Diverse background
Nordseth is currently working as artistic director at “Dansens Hus”; Norway’s most prestigious institution for contemporary dance. The diverse choreographer is educated from the Norwegian State Academy of Ballet in Oslo and the Martha Graham School in New York. She has founded and run two different dance ensembles, and worked extensively as a choreographer both in Norway and abroad. The performance will be accompanied by Norwegian composer, producer and blackjazz musician Jørgen Munkby.
The workshop is part of Ibsen in China 2011 and is supported and presented by Ibsen International and The Royal Norwegian Embassy in Beijing
Article about the workshops in “Jinghua” (Chinese language only)
To listen to Jørgen Munkby’s music, please visit his Myspace page