Landscape

Alvin Ailey’s moody, lovely collage of dance styles in Landscape was inspired by the choreographer’s travels in Eastern Europe and the music of Bela Bartok. Mr. Ailey's dedication at the premiere read: “For Bela Bartok in honor of his centenary and for Miloslav Kabelac, the great Czechoslovakian composer, whose spirit soars above oppression.” His note below the cast list read: "Utilizing Hungarian folk melodies, Bartok captured the essence of the out-of-doors—birds chirping, lovely meadows, and beautiful fields—when he composed his last work. ‘Piano Concerto No.3’, written in the summer of 1945, and dedicated to his wife, inspired me to landscape these images through dance.” Landscape was originally a vehicle created for Mari Kajiwara, then a 10-year veteran of the Company. The four subtitles for each section allude to nature rituals on the stage: “Legend,” “Touchstone,” “Romance,” and “Terror.”