Dorian

For their adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the famous book by Oscar Wilde from 1891, the two choreographers have opted for a thriller-like approach filled with tension and suspense for both adults and adolescents from the age of 14. This time, dancers from the Dutch National Ballet will be joining dancers from the Junior Company and the ISH Dance Collective.

Dance thriller based on the famous book by Oscar Wilde

In their production, Meisner and Gerris follow the plot of Wilde’s novel but place it in an eccentric contemporary setting. The protagonist Dorian goes overboard in his craving for beauty and adoration, and he suffers the consequences. He descends into a downward spiral, becoming trapped in a labyrinth in which he can no longer tell reality from fantasy.

As they did in Narnia and GRIMM, Meisner and Gerris blend different dance styles in an exciting and immersive mix of hip-hop and ballet.

New music performed live

Joey Roukens, one of the Netherlands' best-known young composers, is writing a new, full-length score for Dorian. In recent years, Roukens has composed works for various Dutch and international orchestras, including in the role of composer-in-residence at the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Meisner and Roukens previously collaborated on the ballet In Transit by the Dutch National Ballet. In larger theatres, Roukens’ new composition for Dorian will be performed live by the Dutch Ballet Orchestra.

The Picture of Dorian Gray

Oscar Wilde’s philosophical novel The Picture of Dorian Gray is about the pursuit of eternal youth and the danger of becoming lost in the process. The protagonist Dorian Gray longs to stay as young and handsome as he is in the portrait painted by his friend Basil. He wishes that his likeness in the painting will grow older and uglier in his place. He gets his wish.