CORNER ETUDES

In a defined and dimly illuminated space of the Opera Berlioz' giant stage the audience sat around on the floor and watched from the immediate closeness the outcome of the dancers’ and Gat’s compositional solution. [...] Emanuel Gat initially studied composition and conducting and he definitely brings a fresh breeze into current events. [...] An exciting act of energy unfolds.

Quartet [...] is a duet between François Przybylski and Michael Loehr, a study in counterpoint that juxtaposes movement and language. [...] Spoken live, the choreography folds into the poem, creating a new voice woven from layers of movement and text. Its fugue-like structure is a delicate miracle of balance. [...] The lighting [...] almost transparently illuminates the whole, bathing Corner Etudes in an ethereal grace.

What makes Gat remarkable is that he never reduces this tension to conflict, combat, or harshness. Instead, Corner Etudes unfolds as an immense burst of tenderness, free of any overt political message. [...] "It’s not that big, after all," a spectator murmurs, gazing at the stage before leaving. The space? Perhaps not. What Emanuel Gat accomplishes? Undoubtedly so.