Choreography: Nacho Duato
Music: Richard Wagner Wesendonklieder
Sets: Walter Nobbe
Costumes: Nacho Duato
Light Design: Joop Caboort
Premiered by the Nederlands Dans Theater at AT&T Danstheater, Den Haag, October 20th, 1988. Premiered by Compañía Nacional de Danza at Teatro de la Zarzuela de Madrid, November 22nd, 1996.
Raptus, whose main characteristic lies in its passionate movements, is based on the romantic and emotive songs contained in Richard Wagner's Wesendonklieder. These songs were inspired by the very intense, albeit hopeless, relationship between Wagner and Mary Wesendonk which was destined to be broken off. Even though the choreographer does not portray their conflict directly, the images and atmosphere created convey, without doubt, an evocative emotion. Walter Nobbe's stage design plays and important role here. It consists of two large , thick moveable panels, one of whose sides is covered with reflecting material, and the other with images of the shoulders and head of a man and a woman.
The overall impression of
Raptus is overwhelming, with uncontrolled passions leading to destruction. It is a ballet endowed with enormous intensity, in terms of movement, emotion and staging.
