Haglund's Heel

ballet blog with occasional diversions

Martha Clarke + Alessandra Ferri + Herman Cornejo =

a Must See this November and December.

Choreographer & theater director Martha Clarke is a Playwright-in-Residence at Signature Theatre as part of the theater's inaugural Residence Five program which supports new and mid-career playwrights.  Selected playwrights are guaranteed three world premiere plays over the course of five years which will be produced in the beautiful new Pershing Square Signature Center on West 42nd Street where every seat to every performance of an initial run is always $25.  Signature Theatre says that the residency program is the first of its kind in American theater.  Participant playwrights receive significant cash awards, full health benefits, stipends, and full access to Signature Theatre's resources and staff.

Martha Clarke's first production, Cheri, will appear on the Irene Diamond Stage during November and December.  From the Signature Theatre website:

Inspired by the classic 1920 novella by controversial French author Colette, Cheri is
Martha Clarke’s newest interdisciplinary work, an exciting fusion of
theatre, live music, and dance featuring American Ballet Theatre
principal dancer Herman Cornejo, prima ballerina assoluta Alessandra
Ferri, actor Suzanne Bertish, pianist Sarah Rothenberg, and text by
Tina Howe. This tragic story of forbidden love between a young man and
an older woman in Belle Époque Paris is a timeless, powerful
exploration of sensuality, love, and our preoccupations with youth and
age.

You can bet that Haglund will remind everyone when single tickets go on sale in the fall.  You can reserve now by subscribing to five Signature Theatre plays for a modest total of $125 and then pick your seat during the special subscriber period that occurs some time prior to single ticket sales. 

Ferri.  Cornejo.  Forbidden love….


14 responses to “Martha Clarke + Alessandra Ferri + Herman Cornejo =”

  1. robin Avatar
    robin

    !!!!!! i saw something about this a couple weeks ago- omg, i cant wait!

  2. robin Avatar
    robin

    !!!!!! i saw something about this a couple weeks ago- omg, i cant wait!

  3. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    The venue is a very intimate space – only 300 seats – not that you need any more reason to be excited. 🙂

  4. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    The venue is a very intimate space – only 300 seats – not that you need any more reason to be excited. 🙂

  5. robin Avatar
    robin

    Right???

  6. robin Avatar
    robin

    Right???

  7. K Avatar
    K

    WOW!Can’t wait to hear more about this.

  8. K Avatar
    K

    WOW!Can’t wait to hear more about this.

  9. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Hi K.
    Here’s the original novel’s plot summary from Wikipedia:

    The novel is about the separation of Chéri and his lover of six years, the much older Léa de Lonval (as the novel opens he is 25 and she is 49). The two believe their relationship is casual until they are separated by Chéri’s marriage at which point they realize they are in love. They spend a miserable six months apart, at which point Chéri appears at Léa’s home. They spend the night together and Léa begins to plan their new life together. However, when she learns that Chéri had returned for the moral strength to be a husband, she gives him courage then releases him to return home.

    Thank goodness Ferri’s character gets to live, although with Martha Clarke, you never know.

  10. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Hi K.
    Here’s the original novel’s plot summary from Wikipedia:

    The novel is about the separation of Chéri and his lover of six years, the much older Léa de Lonval (as the novel opens he is 25 and she is 49). The two believe their relationship is casual until they are separated by Chéri’s marriage at which point they realize they are in love. They spend a miserable six months apart, at which point Chéri appears at Léa’s home. They spend the night together and Léa begins to plan their new life together. However, when she learns that Chéri had returned for the moral strength to be a husband, she gives him courage then releases him to return home.

    Thank goodness Ferri’s character gets to live, although with Martha Clarke, you never know.

  11. K Avatar
    K

    Did you ever see Petit’s version of Cheri, Haglund? I know Fracci starred in it late in her career. I did enjoy the movie version with Michelle Pfieffer, though I imagine this will be a whole different kettle of fish.

  12. K Avatar
    K

    Did you ever see Petit’s version of Cheri, Haglund? I know Fracci starred in it late in her career. I did enjoy the movie version with Michelle Pfieffer, though I imagine this will be a whole different kettle of fish.

  13. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Hi K.
    No, I’ve never heard of the ballet by Petit, but just located a photo by Lucia Baldini of the 63-year-old Carla Fracci and 27-year-old Massimo Murru in it — here it is from gramilano.com:

    I’m sure that Clarke’s work will be very different, but I’m already getting excited in a major way.

  14. Haglund Avatar
    Haglund

    Hi K.
    No, I’ve never heard of the ballet by Petit, but just located a photo by Lucia Baldini of the 63-year-old Carla Fracci and 27-year-old Massimo Murru in it — here it is from gramilano.com:

    I’m sure that Clarke’s work will be very different, but I’m already getting excited in a major way.