July 19, 2022
01:00
In Avignon, Sophie Linsmaux and Aurelio Mergola present Flesh, while Jan Martens creates Futur near in the Cour d’honneur.
As every year, several Belgian artists and companies are programmed in the IN d’Avignon: at the opening of the festival, Miet Warlop proposed a stripping concert for the fourth part of the History of Theater initiated by Milo Rau and NT Gent. Like a micro-society, the characters of One Song exposed their desires and frustrations there, repeating a ritual of farewells and new beginnings.
For this second half of the festival, two other Belgian companies are honored in the IN.
Pour this second half of the festivaltwo other Belgian companies are honored in the IN: Sophie Linsmaux and Aurelio Mergola (still life company) with Fleshfour “flesh stories” created at Les Tanneurs this spring, and Jan Martens with Near Future in the Cour d’honneur of the Palais des Papes. A co-production by Opera Ballet Vlaanderen (OBV) featuring 17 dancers and a harpsichordist. “It’s a great honor and a great challenge to occupy this space”, declares the choreographer. “I’ve always liked the breadth of this scene, in Belgium we never have such a surface! We’re going to use the entire space, including the back wall, with live video. It’s a joy to be able to show my work there, I’m curious regarding the reactions of the public.”
“It is a very great honor and a great challenge to invest this space.”
Master piece
The scenography was thought to be adapted according to the tour which will start in Antwerp in September… Centerpiece: a bench 18 meters long around which will revolve the seven parts that make up this ballet, which deals with “the way in which we know very well what awaits us, and our inability to act“.
“I wanted to think regarding how to renew the ballet form and how to renew yourself if you want to survive as a species.”
Lucid regarding his own ecological footprint, Jan Martens says: “I think a lot regarding our feeling of being invincible, which means that we don’t adapt and that we continue to fly, for example. I wanted to think regarding how to renew ballet form et how to renew yourself if you want to survive as a species. The harpsichord, for example, has not disappeared. Despite his fate, he reinvented himself!”
Warlop died, One Song. History(ies) of Theater IV, on tour:
- From October 1 to 7, 2022: Ghent – NTGent
- From March 24 to 25, 2023: Antwerp – deSingel
Sophie Linsmaux et Aurelio Mergola (Still Life), Flesh, from July 18 to 25 at the Festival d’Avignon.
- From September 23 to October 1, 2022: Antwerp – deSingel
