Symphony No 7

With Symphony No 7 by the late German choreographer Uwe Scholz (1958-2004), the dancers enter into a symbiotic relationship with Beethoven's imposing music. The work becomes a leitmotif, with its athletic prowess and unison dance geometry. Presented for the first time as the opening of the 2017 season, it instantly captured the hearts of Montrealers.

Structured in four movements that form a succession of different colors and rhythms, Beethoven's Symphony No 7 was first performed in 1813 during the terrible period of the Napoleonic Wars. Named by Richard Wagner as "the apotheosis of dance", Symphony No 7 fascinates with both its rigorous classicism and its energy.

Uwe Scholz, who was director of dance at the Leipzig Opera, enjoyed creating choreography for grand symphonic works. During his short life, he choreographed around a hundred pieces for major European companies. His highly complex choreographic adaptation of the Seventh, originally created for the Stuttgart Ballet, is considered his masterpiece. It attests to his finesse, inventiveness and exceptional musicality.