“This is not the Peer Gynt, this is my Peer Gynt. His figure is a dim mirror in which I seem to see myself,” says László Velekei, the choreographer of the two-act piece first presented in Győr in the winter of 2022. Henrik Ibsen's monumental poem of humanity has enriched the repertoire of the great spoken theatres, even though the fairy tales and real-life figures and locations, along with the events both improbable and highly realistic that appear in it, present an almost impossible task to whoever attempts to stage it. Perhaps this could be the key to this production by the Ballet Company of Győr: freedom of association. With young new dancers rejuvenating the team, the legendary dance group and its choreographer are assisted by such co-creators as set designer Mara Bozóki, who matches the wildly romantic mountains with a severe hospital setting, and costume designer Rita Velich, who evokes the four basic elements and the human circulatory system in her clothing. Playing a key role in the interpretation of dramaturg Alexandra Csepi is Ibsen’s own period in history, a time that saw growing interest in the human psyche and its functioning. And this opens a gateway to the present day: the fallen Peer Gynt, waiting for redemption, is someone we know well.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest