About the show

In her first incursion into classical music, the Belgian choreographer, Lisbeth Gruwez, joins the French pianist, Claire Chevallier, in a research exercise about Claude Debussy compositions. In Piano Works Debussy, their movements are suggestions rather than expressions, in line with Debussy’s search for ‘la musique immatérielle’, awaking the audience imagination, with absolute freedom, and recreating their own emotional background. Both Artists developed a space unique dialogue between a classical and a contemporary framework that somehow reveals her choreographic career. The album, that named the same show presented in Festival de Otoño, was recorded last year by Chevallier. The result is a choreographic concert, in which each moment makes the life shine.

The international media defined the piece as “a beautiful recital for two voices on the imaginative and sensual music of Claude Debussy". “Everything helps evoke a rich world of emotion. It renders this performance nothing short of an instant classic” (De Standaard). The result is “an enchanting hour of sound and movement. (…) A pleasure like this, you can hardly get enough of it.” (Tanz). “Both ladies serve up a true masterpiece.” (Knack Focus).

About the Company

The dancer and choreographer, Lisbeth Gruwez (1977), studied at the Royal Ballet School in Antwerp and at the Contemporary Dance School Parts. Since 1999, she worked with Jan Fabre in productions as As long as the world needs a warrior's soul, Je suis sang and Quando l'uomo principale è una donna (present at the Festival de Otoño in 2004), whose music was composed by Maarten Van Cauwenberghe. Gruwez founded with Cauwenberghe Voetvolk (Dutch for "infantry"), a Belgian contemporary dance and performance company. For Voetvolk, Gruwez has created ten productions, characterized by a dialogue between body movement and music. They have performed at Festival d’Avignon and the Venice Biennale, among many others. In addition to his work with Voetvolk, Gruwez regularly organize workshops and artistic consultancy.

The pianist Claire Chevallier (1969) has a long career as a soloist with orchestras, and she is specialized in playing compositions by French composers such as Debussy, Satie, Poulenc or Ravel with ancient pianos, she owns six from 1840 to 1920 period. It is remarkable the Concierto para la mano izquierda, a reference in classical music. She is a professor at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels and was member of a jury in the Liszt piano competition, in Utrecht, or the Chopin competition, in Warsaw, among others. In addition, she has worked with Artists such as Anne Teresa De Keersmaeker from Rosas, David Claerbout, Josse De Pauw and Jan Lauwers.