Frédéric Chopin: A Lifelong Love Story. December Rain
Tartu Vanemuine Theatre on Tour at Klaipėda State Musical Theatre
“DECEMBER RAIN” – A Lifelong Love Story of Frédéric Chopin
A two-act ballet inspired by the life and music of Frédéric Chopin.
The performance features F. Chopin’s works performed live on piano.
This ballet, inspired by the biography of the famous Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin, tells the tragic love story between Chopin and George Sand – the renowned writer who, in 19th-century France, could only enter the literary world under a male pseudonym.
The production intertwines the composer’s creative journey, his complete devotion to music, and the illness that plagued him in later years. At its heart, the recurring theme of the ballet is the romantic relationship between Chopin and Sand.
“December Rain” is directed by Kristina Paulin, a former Hamburg Ballet dancer and a young choreographer whose works have been presented in several German theatres, as well as in Kazakhstan, Slovakia, the United Kingdom, and Italy. Her inspiration comes from literary classics, biographies, visual arts, and mythology.
Paulin’s “December Rain” was first staged in 2022 at the Salzburg Landestheater as part of the evening “3x Chopin” (directed by Reginaldo Oliveira). The Vanemuine Theatre version introduces a newly created second act, offering an even deeper insight into the composer’s inner world.
“All of Chopin’s works seem personal, delicate, and fragile to me. Listening to his music, you can feel the presence of his soul – he devoted his entire life to his art.” – Kristina Paulin, Director and Choreographer
Works by Frédéric Chopin featured in the performance:
- Prelude in E minor, Op. 28, No. 4
- Nocturne in D-flat major, Op. 27, No. 2
- Piano Concerto in E minor, Op. 11, No. 1, First Movement
- Waltz in A minor, B.150
- Waltz in A minor, Op. 34, No. 2
- Prelude in D-flat major (“Raindrop”), Op. 28, No. 15
- Prelude in A minor, Op. 28, No. 2
- Étude in C minor (“Ocean”), Op. 25, No. 12
- Nocturne in C-sharp minor, No. 20, B.49
- Étude in C minor (“Revolutionary”), Op. 10, No. 12
- Nocturne in C minor, Op. 48, No. 1
- “Andante spianato” and Grande Polonaise Brillante in E-flat major, Op. 22, First Movement
- Piano Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35, No. 2, First Movement
- Piano Sonata in B-flat minor, Op. 35, No. 2, Third Movement
- Nocturne in E minor, Op. 72, No. 1
Composer: Fryderyk Chopin
Director, Librettist, Choreographer, and Set Designer: Kristina Paulin (Slovakia / Germany)
Costume Designer: Stephanie Bäuerle (Austria)
Sound Designer and Composer: Davidson Jaconello (Canada)
Lighting Designer: Imbi Mälk (Estonia)
Assistant Director: Silvia Azzoni (Germany)
Pianist: Margus Riimaa (Estonia)
Performers:
Ana Maria Gergely, Sarah Ross, Caroline Maquignon, Benjamin Newman, Bradley Howell, Alain Divoux, Vladyslav Kalys, Akihito Shimogata, William Halton, Noah Wheatley, Maria Engel, Sayaka Nagahiro, Selma Strandberg, Natalie Barbis, Maarja Praks, Gerardo Avelar, Hodaka Maruyama, Yuta Irikura, Jack Fielding, Benjamin Kyprianos, Gustavo Pedro, Alexander Germain Drew; Vanemuine Ballet Company.
The premiere took place on March 2, 2024, at the Small House of the Vanemuine Theatre.
