La Rhétorique des Dieux (2025)

La Rhétorique des Dieux is a suite of solo and duo vignettes for various icons of classical Greek and Roman mythology appearing in contemporary incarnations set to Denis Gaultier's eponymous eleven suites for Baroque lute. A suite of excerpted selections premièred from November 22nd-24th, 2024 as part of Salon Lute, an evening of new dances, poetry, and song featuring music for Baroque lute and theorbo performed live by acclaimed lutenist/theorbist Dušan Balarin. The salon event also included choreography by Sir Douglas Dunn, poetry by Lal Ensari, video by Jacob Burckhardt, décor by Mimi Gross, lighting by Leo Janks, as well as the talents of soprano Paulina Francisco and dancers Christiana Axelsen, Alexandra Berger, Cemiyon Barber, Janet Charleston, Maxfield Haynes, Justin Lynch, Logan Pedon, Emily Pope, Deniz Erkan Sancak, and Jin Ju Song-Begin. An evening-length version of the work premièred in the outdoor amphitheater at the Untermeyer Gardens Conservancy on June 21st, 2025 featuring Cemiyon Barber, Janet Charleston, Burr Johnson, Justin Lynch, Kieran McBride, Logan Pedon, Deniz Erkan Sancak, and Christopher Williams.