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If you were smart and clever, you caught
"Arias with a Twist," the long-running
Joey Arias and Basil Twist collaboration
at New York's Here Arts Center.
If, however, you were living on another
planet during the hit show's nearly
year-long run, and if you have yet to
encounter maestro puppeteer Basil
Twist's magic, then get yourself to
Philadelphia for "Basil Twist's
Petrushka."
The man behind the puppet magic for the
Broadway hit, "The Addams Family
Musical," Twist is the only American to
graduate from France's prestigious École
Supérieure Nationale des Arts de la
Marionette. Or to put it simply, Twist
is brilliant.
Twist makes his Philadelphia debut with
his version of the classic 1911 Ballets
Russes production of the tragic love
triangle between three magical puppets:
the clown Petrushka, the alluring
Ballerina, and the charismatic Moor,
In 1911, Diaghilev's Ballets Russes
debuted the legendary production of "Petrushka,"
with music by Igor Stravinsky - but long
before that, "Petrushka" was well known
throughout St. Petersburg as a
marionette show.
If ever there was a story custom-made
for an artist, it is this one. Twist's
version of "Petrushka" uses two Steinway
pianos, played by identical twins, Julia
and Irina Elkina. Using a combination of
Czech and Japanese Bunraku puppetry, the
nine puppeteers recreate the beloved
Russian tale about life, love, and
sorrow.
Prepare to suspend disbelief - and enter
into the wonder-filled world of Basil
Twist.
LINKS:
http://www.pifa.org/events/980195026
http://www.annenbergcenter.org/tickets/?id=124
http://www.basiltwist.com/events/archives/137
Third in a series of features about
the Philadelphia International Festival
of the Arts (PIFA), continuing through
May 1 with the support of PIFA.
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http://www.twitter.com/PIFAPhilly
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http://www.facebook.com/PIFA.Philly
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