KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 — This weekend, KL dance enthusiasts will be treated to the first performance in Malaysia by ZfinMalta Dance Ensemble, the national contemporary dance company from Malta that was founded by celebrated Malaysian dancer, Mavin Khoo.
 
In ‘Je Tiens le Reine’, ZfinMalta presents a contemporary adaptation of Mallarmé’s 1876 L’Après-midi d’un Faune and Debussy’s 1894 Prélude a L’Après-midi d’un Faune, which tells the story of a faun’s encounter with the Ogygia-based Calypso.
 
Like the sources that inspired it, Je Tiens La Reine assimilates the suggestiveness of the poetry and the music and is interwoven with rituals, quests and regressions that are represented through an intricate dance choreography by Mavin Khoo, accompanied by a resonant composition by Renzo Spiteri and a narrative adaptation by Giuliana Fenech.
 
Artistic director Mavin Khoo explains: “Je Tiens la Reine is the first full length work by ZfinMalta. The story of Debussy and Mallarme’s Faun has become legendary within the context of dance history. From Nijinsky’s interpretation to the more recent version by Sidi Larbi, the score and the exploration of the half goat half man creature has become a source of inspiration for many.”
 
In Je Tiens La Reine, a band of fauns are seduced by the allure and sensuality of Calypso and her nymph sisters, drawn to the border where the earth meets the sea impulsively giving in to their darkest longings and desires. The fauns behave recklessly and their actions cause chaos and disruption as the nymphs, recognising their destructive nature, resist their hold and courageously attempt to protect their land and rituals of old. Intervening to restore order, the goddess Venus appears. Representing love, creation and prosperity, Venus’s divine power forces everyone, especially Calypso and the protagonist faun, to honour their destiny no matter what price there is to pay. Can the fauns redeem favour with Venus? Can peace be restored to this troubled land? Will Calypso return to the solitude of her cave unsatisfied or will she embrace her divine nature too? What, in the end, will be sacrificed in order to satisfy Venus? Like all tales of this kind, Je Tiens la Reine transports us to a magical place whilst reminding us of the journeys we take in our own lives.
 
“I was particularly interested to explore a different dimension. Maltese composer Renzo Spiteri has developed a complex score inspired by the Debussy work and both he and I worked with dramaturg Giuliana Fenech to devise an adaptation that would use the surrealist framework of the Faun’s dream in Mallarme’s poem as our framework. Je Tiens la Reine totally subverts the text and we find an interesting plot that explores the relationship of a Faun with a nymph (in this case Calypso) alongside the presence of Venus who determines destiny. Think Tim Burton with Almodovar along with a bit of Harry Potter,” says Khoo.
 
Under the artistic direction of Mavin Khoo, ZfinMalta Dance Ensemble features dancers Christina Aquilina, Florinda Camilleri, Gabin Corredor, Keith Micallef, Caroline Mougenot, Kostas Papamatthaiakis, Niels Plotard, and Martina Zammit.
 
This work recently premiered at the Malta International Arts Festival and will perform in Malaysia before continuing on to India to participate in the CHOGM External Culture Programme.
 
‘Je Tiens la Reine’ by ZfinMalta Dance Ensemble
 
When: Sat 22nd & Sun 23rd August, 8.30pm
Where: Shantanand Auditorium,
The Temple of Fine Arts
114 — 116 Jalan Berhala,
Brickfields, Kuala Lumpur
 
For invitations, please contact:
 
Puan Sri Rathi Khoo: +6012 — 207 2402
The Temple of Fine Arts: +603 2274 3709
PUSAKA: +6014 — 920 8290