FIRST POSITION
PERFECT PARTNERS For nearly 30 years, Stanton Welch and Resident Lighting Designer Lisa J. Pinkham have enjoyed a longstanding collaborative relationship – and it all started with Maninyas.
EN POINTE Unveiling Connections Stanton Welch AM reflects on Maninyas , from the power of Ross Edwards’ music to the unveiling imagery in his first American commission.
cs toonrcyl, uas icoonm. Ipt l ef et let bl i aklel ei tt si no wi t sne ll if t. tEl ea c h se el ecmt i oenn tgsa, voen es pi na cwe ht oi cehxIpilmo rme eddi fifaetreel yn t ka nme awn I wwi tahn toende t wo or empar ne sbeeni tn tgh ree ipdl ea ac eodf bs eynasne oot fh seer.aTr oc hmi neg, tf ho ra ta craepl at ut iroends ah i p . Wc l ohtehnaIncda mm oe vui pn gwtiht rhotuhgehi di te, ai t oafl lt h e twi eads ianl wt oatyhsegcooi nngc etpo tcoefnut enrv ea irloi nugn. dI t the struggle of relationships— what Ib iumt mt heedi idaetae loyf hreeamr do vi ni ntghlea ymeur ss,i ca—n d et ov er ne vt ue aa ll l ya nh oa vpienng sepvaecrey, t ehmi negr fgael dl aaws a y pt oagret tohfetrhaensdc ewnoi cr kdeeds iwg ne .l lI tb ae lcl acuasme et h e music told a story. How did you incorporate the idea of unveiling into the choreography? SW: I think the concept of unveiling iws amy ot hs te ryeappr pe seeanr ttehdr obuygthh ei t ,c wl oet ha v. Te hi ne at hnedmo ui nt ;tbhye pbuesghi ni nngi nign.tAo si tf,airt ua snvt heei l s smt eapkse aarme coovne mc eernnte dt h, aI tdwi dans’ tutnr vyetiol i n g ; iatswt ha os umg oh rteh ae ny i wmearl ei s ct irce iant uarwe sa, yn. oI tt w a s lsiet earrac hl l yi n, bg uf rt ai nn toi cuarl lhyeianrtths iasnwdi sl doeurln—e s s foofrththaet sreigahrtchp.erson, and the difficulty
Lisa J. Pinkham and Stanton Welch AM with Artists of Houston Ballet after the Welch’s In Good Company in 2021. Photo by Lawrence Elizabeth Knox.
In 1996, you created Maninyas for San Francisco Ballet, which was also your first American commission. How did this opportunity come about? Stanton Welch AM: The Australian BF easl ltei vt apl a[ratni ciinptaetrendaitni oUnNa li tfeeds tWi v ael Di na nS caen Fa nr anni vc ei srcsoa,rcyoomf mt heems iogrnaitni ng go tf ht eh e5 0Utnhi t e d Ne aacthi opnas rCt ihc ai pr at et ri n] .gTchoemi dp ea an ywtaos bf or irn g ac obuanl lter ty mi na tdhee bnya st ioomn ae lo bn ae l lf er ot mc o tmh pe iarn y ; I[ Twoams at shseoAn u, fsot rr ma l iearnScaonmFpr aonnceins ct .oHBeal gl lie t Aa nr tdi sktni ce Dwi rme cet forro]mh at dh es es ec hn omo yl . Awfot er kr t h e ff eosr tti hv ael ,c ho emipnavni tye, dwmh iec ht ot uc rr enaetde oaubt atlol e t be Maninyas . The ballet is set to Ross Edwards’ violin concerto, Maninyas . How did you come across the composition, and how did it fit the concept of the ballet, which you’ve described as a process of unveiling and exploring relationships? SW: I first came across it on tape and lt ihs et ecnoeudn tt or yi st iodne ao nWaa rl ke mg i ao nn awl ht oi luer i n iWn hAeuns tIrhael iaar; dI jtuhset mfeul lsiinc , lIokven ewwi tiht iwt .a s amgursei ac thpaide cl aeyfeorrsb. Ta lhl ee tf bi resct amu soev et hmee n t fi ne et ol s slei kc et i oa nn si nbterfoodr ue ci tt i loena dt hs ai nt tuon tf oh led s
The Beginning of a Beautiful Collaboration When Welch arrived in the
Bay Area to create Maninyas , he was already familiar with the “cool lighting lady” at San Francisco Ballet from his time in the San Francisco Ballet School. Bonding over their love of preparedness, the two hit it off right away. “As I started getting commissions, I kept bringing her on board,” Welch says. “It’s about having that shorthand with someone—being able to compare another work and say, “Look, it needs to be a bit like this, but this is what’s different about it.” Why Lisa? Her Work Style Preparedness aside, Welch is always impressed by Pinkham’s final product. With an adept hand for clean lines, Pinkham’s elegant simplicity ensures that the dancers always shine. “I never feel that the lighting is going to overpower or under light the dancer,” Welch says. “We can do everything we want creatively, but the bottom line is that the dancer has to do the step, and I’ve always felt that Lisa has understood that.”
12 HOUSTON BALLET
Made with FlippingBook - Share PDF online