The Latvian National Ballet’s centenary program will open on September 30 with an exhibition “Rehearsal” at the Latvian Museum of Photography (LFM). The exhibition features photographers Jānis Deinats, Vika Eksta, Iveta Gabaliņa, Reinis Hofmanis, Kristīne Madjare, Andrejs Strokins, and Agnese Zeltiņa, whose works will be complemented by a collection of glass plates from the LFM collection. The exhibition’s scenography and spatial solutions are designed by artist Aleksejs Beļeckis and architect Līva Kreislere.

The origins of dance photography coincide with the invention of photography itself in the mid-19th century. With the static poses (usually of ballet dancers) captured in daguerreotypes as a starting point, and finally the technologically advanced possibilities of capturing a moment today, the development and relationship between ballet and photography have been closely linked over the last centuries. “It is rare that even an inspired photographer possesses the demonic eye which can capture the instant of a dance and transform it into a timeless gesture”, dancer Martha Graham once said of Barbara Morgan’s photographs. The image expressed in the dance is constructed out of countless movements, which, individually, can perhaps only be captured by the medium of photography. Historically, the public perception of the ballet dancer, ballet and dance as such was often shaped by photography and how dancers were seen by photographers. The photo exhibition “Rehearsal” by the Latvian National Opera and Ballet and the Latvian Museum of Photography, part of the centenary of Latvian ballet, highlights personalities – stage and backstage artists and photographers – who are shaping the image of ballet today.

The images captured by the seven photographers featured in the exhibition span the period between January and August this year in a variety of ballet-making settings: performances and rehearsal halls, workshops and studios, reflecting personalities, process, emotions, movement, and environment. The photographs will not only be exhibited in the exhibition hall, but also integrated into the permanent exhibition of the museum.

On December 1, 1922, the Latvian National Ballet gave its first full-scale performance, “Veltīgā uzmanība” ("The Wayward Daughter"). In autumn 2022, our ballet will celebrate its centenary with an extensive program, culminating in the Gala Concert “Latvian National Ballet 100” on December 1. The Ballet’s history and present will be reflected in photographs, films, a book, spectacular new productions, and other special events.

The exhibition will be on show at the Latvian Museum of Photography, 8 Mārstaļu Street (entrance from Alksnāja Street) until November 27.

Museum opening hours:

Monday, Tuesday - closed

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday - 10.00-17.00

Thursday - 12.00-17.00

 

The exhibition is supported by: