On Distant Shores (2011)

On Distant Shores was written in collaboration with choreographer Pascal Rioult, for his company, Rioult, which premiered the work at the Joyce Theater in New York City. The music combines old and new, incorporating an arrangement of the composer’s popular Air for cello (1995) with new, alternately dreamy and turbulent music inspired by the ballet’s focus on the character of Helen of Troy. In the ballet, Pascal Rioult imagines that Helen is brought to Troy against her will.  Four men from her past appear, first dancing as a group of warriors then partnering one by one with Helen in fleeting, expressive duets. As her memories of the heroes fade into a dream, she continues to walk her path forward into history.

On Distant Shores was commissioned by RIOULT for its 2011 Joyce Theater season, with funding from the O’Donnell-Green Music and Dance Foundation and the American Music Center Live Music for Dance program.