La Cathédrale Engloutie

It was in the spring of 1974 when Sabine and I went on holiday 
on the island of Elba. It was early in the season and most of 
the hotels were still closed. We had difficulties finding a 
place to stay but finally we found one. The first evening after 
dinner we decided to take a walk on the seashore. It was totally 
dark. There were no lights, no moon or stars. It was pitch black. 
A very strange experience, because under normal circumstances 
we refer to an ocean as something visually exciting and 
overwhelming. But in this night it was shrouded in total 
darkness, and only its threatening sounds gave away its 
presence. But needless to say - it was exciting and inspiring. 
This experience became a base for my next choreography as 
a guest of the Nederlands DansTheater. I started looking for 
music which would help me express my feelings connected to 
this simple but unusual experience. Soon I found it. It was 
the prelude "La Cathédrale Engloutie" by Debussy. 

	
	
This composition was inspired by the "Legend of Ys" which 
originated in Brittany. In this legend, we read about the 
eternal classical parable: the strife between flesh and 
spirit. The battle between "sin" and spirituality. 
(Quote from the Bible - Galatians: "For what the flesh wants 
is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit wants is opposed 
to the flesh. They are opposed to each other, and so you do 
not do what you want to do...") This is of course a very 
rigid jewish-christian doctrine, and there are many other 
religions teaching us the exact opposite. But as a young man, 
I was fascinated by these contrasting forces, and in fact I 
still am. Over centuries these forces stayed the same, only 
our understanding of them will keep changing. 

In my choreography you see two couples intertwined in their 
relationships, trying to find some sort of reason for their 
existence within their emotional partnership. They are 
desperately trying to find peace and balance between 
their urges and desires on one side and their belief and 
spirituality on the other. A task which will accompany us 
for the rest of our life and beyond... Their relationships 
are as restless and unresolved as the waves crashing into 
the cliffs. 

                    Jiří Kylián