The origin of this work is the disturbing composition by Giacinto Scelsi, "Seven episodes of an unwritten tale of love and death in a distant land". Three dancers, a singer and six musicians lead us on a journey where gesture accompanies even the most intimate vibration within the music and where the space, swept by the dance, reflects the depth of Scelsi’s most particular sounds.
For Giacinto Scelsi (1905-1988) music is first and foremost a question of sound: “premier mouvement de l’immobile – the first movement of the still,” is sound comprised not just of pitch and duration, but also of depth.
Under the direction of Jean-Paul Dessy, the soprano Elise Gäbele and the musicians of Musiques Nouvelles, envelope the circular movements of dancers Odile Gheysens, Frauke Mariën and Shantala Pèpe. Suspended by ropes, in a space expanded by video projections evoking archaic, primeval creatures, they don’t stray far from the music.
It was through Oliver Farge’s aerial dance technique that our desire to transcend weight and come together with the sound vibrations could be realized. Over and beyond technique, a real sensitivity was awakened.
Everything is swathed in the same layer of sound, rolled in the curves of the voice, stung by the vibration of the ropes, sliced by the percussion.

Credits

Concept and choreography Nicole Mossoux

Direction Patrick Bonté, Nicole Mossoux

Performers at the first staging Frauke Mariën, Céline Perroud, Sarah Piccinelli, Marion Ballester

Performers Frauke Mariën, Odile Gheysens, Shantala Pèpe

Music Giya Kancheli, Giatino Scelsi

Live music performed by Elise Gabële (soprano) et L’Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles

Musical direction Jean-Paul Dessy

Aerial dance training and artistic assistance Olivier Farge

Set design Johan Daenen

Costumes Colette Huchard

Make-up Jean-Pierre Finotto

Images, video and stage management Mikha Wajnrych

Light Patrick Bonté, Pierre Stoffyn

Sound mix Gérald Fenerberg

Videographics Heidi Ostrowski, Ludovic Romain

Stage manager David Jans

Direction assistant Barbara Geraci
Production Cie Mossoux-Bonté in coproduction with Centre des Ecritures Contemporaines et Numériques, Ensemble Musiques Nouvelles, Charleroi/Danses – Centre Chorégraphique de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and Le manège.mons – Scène transfrontalière de création et de diffusion, Mons (Belgium)

After his studies in philosophy, humanities and dramatic interpretation, Patrick Bonté wrote many texts for theatre and cinema and directed numerous theatrical productions in Brussels, Antwerp and Quebec. His desire to explore themes related to the enigma of presence through the theatre has led him to explore the  invention  of  languages,  avoiding  textual  narration,  realism  and  psychology.  With  Nicole  Mossoux, whom he met in 1985, he shares the desire to “create images for the stage that have a particular sense, in which tension reigns, a tension tied to the contradictions that nourish it, and yet do not presume to bear a definite truth”. He is also artistic director of Les Brigittines (City of Brussels Contemporary Art Centre for Movement).

Source: The Cie Mossoux/Bonté 's website

More information

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