Arcana : Density 21.5

Filmed at the Paris Opera by Michel Dumoulin in 1973.

The solo Density 21.5, on a score by Edgar Varese, changed the career of Carolyn Carlson (born in 1943). In 1973, while on tour in Hamburg with Alwin Nikolais’ company, she was noticed by Rolf Liebermann, then director of the Hamburg Opera. He offered her to create a work for a “Tribute to Varese” evening, which was to take place at the Paris Opera, where he was about to take up the position of director. Carolyn Carlson accepted and created Density 21.5 to a on a platinum flute score from Varese. All Carlson is already in Density 21.5: long, flexible lines broken by small, jerky arm movements, verticality and spirals… Carlson’s signature vibration radiates throughout this piece, stretched across the ultra-fine thread of the melody. Already present here is her unique way of slipping in an intimate confidence without ever departing from her abstract elegance. Behind Density 21.5 looms the shadow of her iconic solo Blue Lady (1983).

With Carlson, modern dance made its debut in the temple of ballet. Rolf Liebermann created the title of “star choreographer” for her and opened the doors of the Palais Garnier to her. She launched the Paris Opera’s Theater Research Group (GRTOP) there in 1974. Every morning, she worked there with her collaborators, dancers from outside the company, but also some curious members of the Opera’s ballet. Until 1980, when Rolf Liebermann left his position as director, the GRTOP paved the way for new French dance.

Source: Rosita Boisseau, INA