Titian Metamorphosis: Art, Music, Dance: A Collaboration Between the Royal Ballet and the National Gallery

ThisvisuallystunningpublicationcelebratesauniquecollaborationbetweentwooftheUK’sleadingculturalinstitutions,theNationalGalleryandTheRoyalBallet.Togethertheycommissionedthreecontemporaryartists?CChrisOfili,ConradShawcrossandMarkWallinger?CtoworkwithinternationalchoreographersandcomposerstocreatethreenewballetsinspiredbyTitian’spaintingsDianaandActaeon,TheDeathofActaeonandDianaandCallisto.Aswellasdesigningallthesetsandcostumes,theartistsalsoproducedentirelynewworksinresponsetoTitian’smasterpiecesforashowattheNationalGallery.Thebooktellsthestoryofthisextraordinary,complexprojectfromconceptiontostageandgallery.Theartists’notebooks,sketchesandothermaterialfromthestudioarereproducedtoshowhowtheyevolvedtheirinitialideasintoworkingdesigns.Numerousviewsofthedancers’rehearsals,installationsandproductionwork,anddozensofunseenphotographsoftheperformancesthemselves,takethereaderbehindthescenestoseethemanyprocessesandpeopleinvolvedintransformingtheartists’visionintoafinishedproduction.Allthreecreativeteamsofferthroughinterviewsandpersonalstatementstheirownreflectionsontheprojectandonworkingwithverydifferentartforms.AnintroductionbyNationalGallerycuratorandoriginatoroftheproject,MinnaMooreEde,explainshowitcametofruitionandhowbothaspectsofthecollaborationunfolded.AforewordbyDameMonicaMason,outgoingdirectorofTheRoyalBallet,completesthevolume.,