Five Things About Chroma
January 27, 2020

1. Wayne McGregor often incorporates science, technology and other forms of art in his work and he has pursued collaborations in opera, film, stage, fashion and visual art. He was movement director for the film Harry Potter and The Goblet of Fire and he has choreographed music videos for Radiohead (Lotus Flower) and Atoms for Peace (Ingenue).
 
2. “Chroma” is a Greek word for colour or freedom from white. In this ballet, the dancers’ bodies – clothed in flesh-coloured costumes – become “chroma” relative to the stark white sets, where they move without any visual interruption.
 
3. English composer Joby Talbot created the score for Chroma by combining original music with orchestrations of songs by indie rock duo, The White Stripes. Talbot also created the scores for two ballets in the National Ballet repertoire by Christopher Wheeldon, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and The Winter’s Tale.
 
4. Renowned English architect John Pawson designed the sets for Chroma, his first for the stage. Wayne McGregor was inspired by Pawson’s book Minimum, which explores elements of minimalist architecture, including space, light and proportion.
 
5. Light is an important element in the stage design. Lighting designer Lucy Carter uses variations in light to change our perception of the space, particularly the opening at the back of the stage, which seems to change in size and distance.

Angels' Atlas & Chroma & Marguerite and Armand is onstage February 29 –  March 7, 2020.