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This Bitter Earth

This Bitter Earth

(2012)
8 minutes

This breathtaking and poetic dance for a couple explores the haunting, tenuous melodies set to a remix of Dinah Washington’s soulful rendition of “This Bitter Earth” and Max Richter’s “On the Nature of Daylight.”

This Bitter Earth is a pas de deux from Christopher Wheeldon’s Five Movements, Three Repeats. The full work was originally created for Fang-Yi Sheu & Artists, a group led by former Martha Graham Dance Company star Fang-Yi Sheu that included NYCB dancers Wendy Whelan, Tyler Angle, and Craig Hall. Set to a remix of Dinah Washington’s performance of Clyde Otis’ This Bitter Earth, and Max Richter’s On the Nature of Daylight, the ballet had its Company premiere at NYCB’s 2012 Fall Gala.

Ballet Credits

Music

“This Bitter Earth” performed by Dinah Washington (from the motion picture soundtrack for Shutter Island). Music by arrangement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC.

Premiere

August 6, 2012, Vail International Dance Festival

Costumes by

Reid Bartelme

Lighting by

Mary Louise Geiger