Your Guide to Jekyll & Hyde: The Ballet
Overview
From one of the most in-demand ballet choreographers and creator of Lady of the Camellias, The Lottery, and Lambarena is a new, full-length ballet by Val Caniparoli based on the 19-century story of Jekyll & Hyde told in very modern and contemporary ways. Ballet West will be only the fourth company in the world to perform Caniparoli’s Jekyll & Hyde.
Choreographer Caniparoli moves beyond the traditional portrayal of Jekyll as a singular monster with two dancers who depict the duality within Dr. Jekyll: his good side as the doctor and his darker transformation into Hyde. The ballet emphasizes the psychological conflict between good and evil, both within the character and in humanity itself. As Caniparoli explains, Stevenson’s work serves as an exploration of his own demons, reflecting the blurred lines between good and evil in all people.
On stage, Caniparoli aims to visualize Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde not only through physical movements but by taking audiences into the mind of a mentally unstable person. Through surreal, almost hallucinogenic sequences, the ballet reveals the inner turmoil of Jekyll as his dark side takes control, while also connecting with modern themes of addiction and mental instability.
The ballet’s unique structure departs from typical narratives and formulas in dance, providing a complex and emotional experience that encourages audiences to reflect on their own internal struggles and the larger societal issues present today. Caniparoli's vision pushes the boundaries of classical ballet, making it a timely, thought-provoking production.
Why this Ballet?
Caniparoli’s background in music, literature, and theatre has a way of creating story linesin his mind. Since the story of Jekyll and Hyde has stuck with him ever since studying it in junior high, putting the story into ballet form was the perfect choice.
“It was also perfect timing with what is going on with the world and what is happening in our culture with fentanyl and opioids, which is ruining people and their minds,” Caniparoli said. “All the opioids that have been prescribed to people and now they are addicted, affecting the mind. To me, there is really a parallel with the seeds of the book Robert wrote when he was in bed for six days while on opioids to treat chronic illness.”
Parental Advisory: Strong Adult Content: This is a very complex adult psychological thriller with strong sexual content. It’s also filled with deep psychological context. As Caniparoli explains, “You will see hallucination scenes where Jekyll turns into Hyde, but you’re going to see inside the psyche of a mentally unstable person. There are a lot of surprises, but we want the audience to relate to the characters in a way they may have never done before. Come with an open mind because it is not just smooth sailing. There is controversy that isn’t brought up in ballet very often.”
Act One: What to Watch For
Jekyll is not a monster in the typical sense and most certainly not what is shown in old films. In fact, this story is interpreted by two dancers; Jekyll, who then turns into Hyde. In the story by Robert Louis Stevenson, Jekyll is well-respected as a doctor, who liked to experiment and go outside the box. This is where he comes up with the idea of separating the good from the evil. He tries making formulas that will do just that, experimenting on his patients, but failing. After tiring of trying on other people, he decides to try it on himself, but instead of the potion doing what he thought it would do, it goes into reverse, exacerbating the evil in him, ergo Hyde.
Act Two: What to Watch For
The ballet delves deeper, visualizing Jekyll’s transformation into Hyde, not only through physical movements, but going into the mind of a mentally unstable person. Through surreal, almost hallucinogenic sequences, the audience sees the inner turmoil of Jekyll as his dark side takes control, while also connecting with modern themes of addiction and mental instability.
There will be a lot of surprises, full of complexity that will make you think. Be aware of how the characters make you feel. Can you relate to any of them? Also notice how psychologically difficult it is for the two main dancers to portray one person to the audience.
Pay Attention to the Music
It was difficult for Caniparoli to determine where to start with the music, with such a broad scope within the story line. When he and his Music Consultant and Arranger, Ramona Pansegrau, started looking for music, he inadvertently landed on all Polish composers from various generations - Frédéric Chopin, Henryk Górecki, Wojciech Kilar, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Henryk Wieniawski.
Caniparoli was immediately drawn to a piece by Wojciech Kilar, who wrote the music for Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). That piece became the backdrop for the insane asylum in Jekyll & Hyde and from there, more music from Polish composers was added. The music for the ballet is a hybrid score using a mix of orchestrations, solo piano, and recordings, not often found in ballets. Listen to how the compositions selected for the ballet weave together, creating a sound that is musically cohesive.
“The layers of music really attracted me to this ballet, with the intimacy and recognizability of Chopin as one of the layers drawing you in, driving minimalistic music in some sections, wild and fantastical music in other sections, with the quiet Chopin sections creating an anchor,” said Ballet West Artistic Director Adam Sklute.
Creating a Ballet During the Pandemic
Caniparoli first began creating this ballet before the pandemic hit, with numerous companies slated to bring it to the stage. As we all know, COVID brought productions to a halt. However, the Finnish National Ballet knew they would need something when the pandemic ended and dancers returned to the stage. They began working on Caniparoli’s piece during the pandemic, despite the challenges. Meetings were held via Zoom when the borders were shut down. Eventually, Caniparoli and his team were able to fly to Finland and after two weeks of quarantining, each department was stationed in separate part of the building, surrounded by plastic.
“It was quite an extraordinary time,” said Caniparoli. “It wasn’t how we wanted to do things, but you do what you have to do to produce something. Because the ballet was created during a time when it should have been impossible to do what we did, the ballet is still evolving.”
According to Sklute, “COVID or not, it is always a challenge for any company to produce a brand new, full-length narrative. It is a huge undertaking and I’m grateful to Val and the Finnish Ballet for building this ballet, even amidst the intense restrictions.”
A Choreographer’s Creative Process:
It’s been said that Caniparoli has always been ahead of the times, with his ability to blend narrative, classical ballet, and other cultural influences, such as his controversial 1985 ballet that integrated African dance. His unconventional approach has shaped his career, even in the face of criticism, and has led to a diverse range of works that often involve collaborative processes with the dancers themselves. The decision to have two dancers represent Jekyll and Hyde is one of Caniparoli’s most innovative storytelling methods.
