'Saint John’s Eve', an unreleased ballet from the avant-garde era whose premiere was thwarted by the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War
La Noche de San Juan
Info
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Based on the script by Ventura Gassol with love as the main theme in the storyline, the action unfolds during the eve, night, and morning of the day of Saint John. It is situated in Isil, a small settlement in the Pyrenees. With music by Roberto Gerhard, and replete with lyrics from popular songs, many of which are still present in the rural areas of Catalonia, the ballet also has decorations and figures made by Joan Junyer. These were preserved from the first unreleased project and inspired by the Pyrenean landscape, its festivals, as well as the Romanic art of the region. In his own words, Ruz has constructed an updated dance piece, full of theatricality and dynamism, and accompanied by a powerful staging with no devices.

Music
Roberto Gerhard

Set
Joan Junyer

Plot
Ventura Gassol

Direction and choreography
Antonio Ruz

Dance and choreography collaboration
Melania Olcina, Elia López / Verónica Garzón, Carmen Fumero, Begoña Quiñones, Pau Aran, Miguel Zomas and Julián Lazzaro

Piano
Miguel Baselga

Costumes Rosa
García Andujar

Lighting design
Olga García (AAI)

Director Assistant
Lucía Bernardo

Props and Costumes Accessories
Rosa García Andújar

Props and Costumes Accessories Assistant
Lucía Celis

Costume Making
Milagros González

Production
Paola Villegas and Gabriel Blanco (Spectare)

Distribution
Valeria Cosi (Tina Agency)

Documentary research
Mónica Tarré Pedreira

Music Edition (unpublished)
Juan de Udaeta

Edition review
Miguel Baselga

Reproduction of the curtain
Dolores Iglesias

Duration
60 min

Premiere
Fundación Juan March on 23 June 2021

Coproduced by the Fundación Juan March and the Gran Teatro del Liceu

Press
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Fascinated by the past, as he has shown on various occasions, Ruz has staged a legitimate homage to the Russian Ballets and the emergence of the avant-garde. Saint John's Eve is still staged as a type of feast, but there is also rigidity in its soft appearance.
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Omar Khan. El País

Ruz renews, reinvents, and adapts to the materials he uses with overwhelming capacity. Saint John's Eve is a very original, dynamic and refreshing chamber ballet, which happily salvages the noticeable contrasts between music of clear folkloric origin to take it successfully towards the realm of a youthful contemporary style. 
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Mercedes Albi. Albidanza