I have long been interested in choreographing to Mozart's masterpiece, Mass in C Minor, because of the inspiring beauty of the music and the touching spirituality of its singing. So light and so deep at the same time, the choral element of the piece reflects the spirit of life itself. To me, Mozart's music contains the highest degree of the "divine" that we have all been touched with, and represents the ability of humanity to transcend the difficulties of life.

The Great Mass will be the largest and most complex work I have ever undertaken, and will represent a milestone both in my work and in the history of my company. The choreographic challenge for me will be to make the music be reborn from the movement, to show the emotion inherent in the music through my own neo-classical movement form.

I would like to add that choral works and the human voice have been a great source of inspiration throughout my life. My mother, Marguerite Rioult, singer, music teacher, and choir director, has inspired in me the belief that the human voice is the most divine instrument and the most able to translate the subtlety of human emotion. This new work will be dedicated to her.