Regardless of the field, works of wondrous quality reach new heights when timeless components of tried-and-trusted legacy combine with an element of novelty. Though in wildly dissimilar fields, LG SIGNATURE and choreographer Angelin Preljocaj, technology innovator and master of modern ballet, respectively, show what it means to keep aflame a trailblazing spirit.
Angelin Preljocaj is a highly esteemed choreographer with a remarkable flair for melding classic ballet with contemporary dance. Over several past decades, he has produced 56 sophisticated works that traverse the classics and the modern. Even as a figure with such a longstanding and prolific career, Preljocaj claimed, “Swan Lake is like Mt. Everest” — “a challenge to take on such a masterpiece.” LG SIGNATURE, the ultra-premium brand of LG Electronics, presented Ballet Preljocaj’s Swan Lake at the LG Arts Center Seoul from June 22 to 25, 2023 as part of its global culture and art sponsorship activities.
Partaking in New Challenges
Preljocaj’s Swan Lake uses 90% of Tchaikovsky’s original score, with the rest hinging on fluidly ranging genres like electronic music. Characteristically, he expands to other artistic fields towards a synthesis of styles not typically presented together. Defying the conventions of ballet’s use of toe shoes, Preljocaj had dancers dance barefoot. This required technical adjustments like exploring new approaches to jumping movements. “The choreography is not after Marius Petipa; I rewrote it entirely. It’s not a structural and fundamental rearrangement” he said, likening the process of inventing “original choreography” to that of “building a new city on ancient foundations.”
Aside from the artistic cross-genre mix, Preljocaj bestowed another twist to his Swan Lake: relayed on its plot is the context of a universal, present-day ecological tragedy. Imbuing a socially meaningful context of a tangible, ongoing dilemma to his work is something he has adeptly done in previous works, too.
“I had no intention to tell yet another romantic fairy tale [...] The pure and fragile image of the swan is a symbol of life on the planet. If humanity keeps committing violence against nature, then not only swans but even lakes will cease to exist.” His desire to tackle societal issues signifies an unrelenting drive toward novelty and unabashed openness of expression. Such sincere concern for the environment is an enduring trait of LG, too, as reflected in its ESG vision, ‘Better life for all’. As such, LG SIGNATURE’s title sponsorships reflect LG’s values on many fronts, as well as its ongoing commitment to invigorating the culture and arts scene.
Revolutionizing onto the Present and
Beyond
Such cross-field integration has been embodied by LG SIGNATURE through and through. Driven by the philosophy that the finesse in both art and technology make the finest appliances, LG SIGNATURE paves the way forth with products that transform lifestyles. Much like Preljocaj’s relentless thirst for the next-level performance that ventures onto new grounds, LG SIGNATURE persistently innovates. After having brought the world's largest 8K OLED TV in 2019 and the world’s first rollable OLED TV in 2020, it now sets out to launch 97-inch LG SIGNATURE OLED M (model M3), the world’s first wireless TV with Zero Connect technology, a wireless solution capable of real-time video and audio transmission at up to 4K 120Hz. It delivers superior picture and sound quality as well as greater flexibility to install and connect.
Visitors to the performance at LG Arts Center were treated to a special exhibition titled “OLED on the Lake.”. The exhibition is an artistic representation of OLED M’s freedom from wires alongside the swan and lake motif. The OLED M is placed on a floor that appears like an aquatic surface, as if the TV is floating on water. Théa Martin and Laurent Legall, Ballet Preljocaj dancers who performed as Princess Odette and Prince Siegfried, respectively, were impressed by the exhibition and were able to relate LG SIGNATURE’s brand theme of “Live beyond.”
The Art of Mutual Affection with Audiences
In our post-performance interview with Martin, she picked a ‘signature’ scene she is most fond of. “Preljocaj sought to emphasize group dance, a scene when all the swans are onstage. It's intense, but the action is very calm. With the beautiful dancers, arranged in a V-shape, that’s the most memorable, signature scene of this performance for me.”
Legall feels that “Moments I “Live beyond.” are when I’m acting onstage. In such moments, we transcend everyday life and express ourselves. […] The desire to go further, develop and express more is what moves us daily, and our act of seeking happiness.
Kang Sue-jin, Korea’s iconic ballet dancer and Head of Korean National Ballet, was part of the enthused audience. As ever, Kang is "moved by LG SIGNATURE's ongoing investment in the arts scene"; "such wondrous feats would not be possible without the endeavors of LG SIGNATURE."
LG SIGNATURE aims to reinvent and innovate in ways that allow customers to ‘Live beyond.’ every moment of their lives. It does so through its unrelenting dedication to artistic and technological finesse.
