Over the moon with Frank at the ballet

It might be the first Broadway piece ever done by a classical company, concede Twyla Tharp’s assistants on the Royal Danish Opera’s Old Stage. Stacy Cadell and John Selya have been sent from New York by America’s grand dame of contemporary choreography to stage her Come Fly Away with dancers from the Royal Danish Ballet. 

 

A couple of weeks prior to its Danish premiere, Cadell and Selya introduce the piece to an excited audience. Come Fly Away is set to music sung by Frank Sinatra and premiered in Atlanta in 2009. Only then it was still called Come Fly With Me and used a slightly larger ensemble. Tharp subsequently made a version for Broadway, and when yet another version opened in Las Vegas in late 2010, the work had to be renamed Sinatra, Dance With Me. “In Las Vegas, they needed Sinatra in the title,” explained Tharp’s assistants.

 

The Sinatra music is indeed a thrilling element of the show. Fourteen live musicians will be on stage to accompany Sinatra’s recorded voice. To the leader of the little orchestra, Danish jazz bassist Chris Minh Doky, playing “around” Sinatra’s voice makes the performance a time machine – rather than a museum. Tracks include the favourites ‘Let’s fall in love’, ‘Fly me to the moon’, ‘You make me feel so young’, ‘One for my baby’ and ‘The way you look tonight’. “The music really helps”, confirmed Cadell. “Who wouldn’t want to dance to that music?”

 

The show tells the story of four young couples whose joy and sorrow, excited new love and desperate break-ups unroll over the course of one night. The action takes place at a nightclub (a somewhat exclusive one, Cadell and Selya agree, given that there are only eight dancers plus six extras) and the audience follows fragments of narrative and each dancer’s transformation throughout the evening. Regarding the choreography, the Danish staging combines songs and choreography from both the Broadway and the Las Vegas versions. “Copenhagen is getting the greatest hits,” promise Cadell and Selya. 

 

Tharp has a taste for glamorous costuming. For Nine Sinatra Songs, her 1982 character study of 14 dancers to Sinatra music, Oscar de la Renta designed the outfits. For the Copenhagen version of Come Fly Away, Tharp’s friend and costume designer Norma Kamali has created several new glitzy attires for every dancer.

 

Twyla Tharp’s long career as a choreographer began in 1965 after she had been training with Martha Graham, Merce Cunningham and joined the Paul Taylor Dance Company. 

 

The boundary-transcending movement style of her works is perhaps best described as combining ballet technique, elements of jazz and boxing with everyday movements. Tharp has by now created more than 160 works, including choreographies for her own company and acclaimed ballet companies such as American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, the Royal Ballet, the Paris Opera Ballet or the Joffrey Ballet, for star ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov, for the films Hair, Ragtime or Amadeus and even two figure skating routines.

 

Come Fly Away

Gamle Scene, Kongens Nytorv, Cph K; starts Sat, ends Nov 28, performances at 20:00 (unless stated) on Sat, Sun (15:00) Thu, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6 (15:00), Oct 8-10, Oct 12, Oct 15, Oct 18, Oct 30, Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 5, Nov 12, Nov 15, Nov 21, Nov 22, Nov 26, Nov 28; tickets 75–595kr, www.kglteater.dk; 105 mins including interval 

TOP STORIES

  • In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    In conversation with Conrad Molden: The man behind the mic

    He’s tickled our funny bone with countless wisecracks and clever wordplay, and in the process, made Denmark feel a little more personable to many expats. An international import himself, funny man Conrad Molden has successfully carved out a niche for himself on the Danish stand-up scene, but it’s taken a solid 13 years, much trial and error, and heaps of Danglish

  • Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rimes with integrating

    Volunteer Night 2025: when volunteering rimes with integrating

    On Wednesday, April 30, from 17:00 to 20:00, Studenterhuset will host Volunteer Night 2025, a free event organized by the organization International House Copenhagen, which goal is to ease the relocation process for newcomers in Denmark

  • The international who shaped Copenhagen

    The international who shaped Copenhagen

    Anna Maria Indrio is one of the most important architects in Denmark, having contributed to shaping Copenhagen into what it is today. Among her best-known projects are the extension of SMK and Arken, as well as the Natural History Museum and the Darwin Centre in London. She moved here 60 years ago, when “Copenhagen was gray and dormant. Predictions suggested it would become depopulated. But putting people at the center changed everything,” she said

  • Danish government passes amendment to increase citizenship fee by 50%

    Danish government passes amendment to increase citizenship fee by 50%

    Fees were raised to reflect processing costs and curb repeat applications, creating debate over whether the new charges erect barriers to political participation for internationals.

  • Internationals’ labour contributes 361 billion DKK to Denmark’s GDP, and it is growing strongly every year

    Internationals’ labour contributes 361 billion DKK to Denmark’s GDP, and it is growing strongly every year

    According to a report by the Danish Chamber of Commerce, internationals’ contribution is 12% of the country’s GDP. In 2023, it was 322 billion DKK, and in 2008, it was 136 billion DKK. “Internationals make a gigantic difference in our prosperity and welfare,” comments Morten Langager, the Director of Dansk Erhverv.

  • Inside Denmark’s innovation engine

    Inside Denmark’s innovation engine

    With half of its staff being international, the BioInnovation Institute reflects Denmark’s broader transformation into a global innovation hub. But can the country—and Europe—keep up the pace? “If reforms are made now, we can close the gap in ten years,” explains BII’s CEO

Connect club

Connect Club is your gateway to a vibrant programme of events and an international community in Denmark.

Sign up here

Career

Want to advertise your job with CPH Post?

Contact us

Jobs