In the original choreography, the Bolero plays in an Andalusian inn, where a woman dances with a shawl and castanets on a table, surrounded by men lounging about in a dimly lit setting. The atmosphere is one of seduction and culminates in ecstasy. Since then (1928), the music has taken on a life of its own. It has become an icon of popular culture and the hallmark of Ravel’s name. But it represents much more: it was a distinguished example of the diffuse sonic textures typical of French music of its time, exemplified by the music he composed for the ballet Daphnis et Chloé, Debussy’s La mer and Luís de Freitas Branco’s Paraísos Artificiais. These four masterpieces of the symphonic repertoire impressively recreate fantastical worlds with precision and fluidity, making it seem effortless.
Bolero de Ravel
Orquestra Sinfónica Metropolitana
Luís de Freitas Branco Paraísos Artificiais
C. Debussy La mer
M. Ravel Suite No. 2 from the ballet Daphnis et Chloé
M. Ravel Boléro
Yue Bao conductor
Pre-concert talk at 4.30 pm with musicologist Rui Campos Leitão.
Exclusive event for concert ticket holders.
