It has been nearly a decade since the Aurora Orchestra, led by conductor Nicholas Collon, started performing works from memory. This unique approach has resulted in incredibly dynamic performances and program notes that have taken on a theatrical quality of their own. Their latest project for this year’s Proms programme, after a successful European tour, was their most daring yet: a performance of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring entirely from memory.
To begin, two actors—Charlotte Ritchie from Ghosts and Karl Queensborough from Hamilton—recited verbatim accounts from the diaries and letters of Stravinsky, Diaghilev, Nijinsky, Roerich, and Marie Rambert. Rambert, in particular, played an unsung role in deciphering Stravinsky’s complex rhythms and teaching them to dancers accustomed to more traditional music by Chopin. Meanwhile, Collon deconstructed the score, having the orchestra sing the folk tune that serves as the bassoon solo and encouraging the audience to clap the simple rhythms that form the foundation of the intricate musical patterns.
Jane Mitchell’s script was a delightful blend of informative, eccentric, and evocative writing, complemented by musical excerpts arranged by Iain Farrington. The stage direction, overseen by Mitchell and James Bonas, was smooth and seamless, with Anouar Brissel’s precise projections creating animated visuals that radiated from the performers on the stage floor.
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