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How Roberto Campanella choreographed a ballet to Beethoven's 9th Symphony

Veteran choreographer Roberto Campanella has choreographed a new ballet based on the work of Beethoven, a composer that choreographers generally refuse to touch.
CBC Radio ·
ProArteDanza's production of The 9th! (Aleksandar Antonijevic)

In the world of dance, there's an unspoken rule shared among many choreographers: you don't touch Beethoven — the challenge is just too great.

Roberto Campanella is a veteran choreographer who has spent the last 10 years happily breaking that rule. Along with his co-choreographer, Robert Glumbek, Campanella created a modern ballet called The 9th! for his Toronto-based company, ProArteDanza. It's based on Beethoven's 9th Symphony (the one that erupts into Ode to Joy).

Campanella joined q's Tom Power live in studio to talk about why he's taking on a challenge of this magnitude.

ProArteDanza's new production of The 9th! just had its world premiere at the Chutzpah! Festival in Vancouver. It's on stage now at the Harbourfront Centre's Fleck Dance Theatre until Saturday, Nov. 9.

Download our podcast or click the 'Listen' link above to hear the full conversation with Roberto Campanella.

— Produced by Emma Godmere

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