Dance & Art Königsfelden 2011: "orfeo.euridíce.paradise" is the third part of the Dance & Art Königsfelden trilogy. The collaboration of various forms of art plays also in this production an important role.

The performance takes place in the nave as well as in the two aisles of the monastery church, which is one of today's most important museums of the Canton of Aargau and famous for its valuable stained glass windows dating from the 14th century. The ascending stands for the spectators provides everyone a unique view to the stage. Brigitta Luisa Merki has developed the concept and is creating the choreography. Beat Zoderer, an internationally acclaimed artist, is responsible for the stage design. His installations include a colorful church floor as well as an entrance gate to paradise.

 

Flamencos en route are known for experimenting with diverse styles of music and dance. In their current production, contemporary forms of expression in music and dance are juxtaposed with Orfeo's world, represented predominantly by music and dance from the flamenco tradition. The lyrical voice of Algerian singer Karima Nayt and the contemporary-style singing of Eva Nievergelt from Switzerland create new dimensions of sound.

 

Brigitta Luisa Merki's dramaturgy presents a new interpretation of the myth of Orpheus. Orfeo embodies a positive creative force and the rhythms produced by his feet sound like rhythmic chants. Euridíce is not only the object of Orfeo's longing - she becomes after her transformation an equal partner, who stakes her own claim to the newly-gained paradise.

 

The great story of life and death will be musically interpreted by guitar, percussion, song and nyckelharpa.

 

Videos:

"orfeo.eurídice.the paradise."

Brigitta Luisa Merki and Flamencos en route at the TV programm
Sofa Sofa, 5.6.2011

Flamencos en route at the TV News SF 1, 21.5.2011.
Flamenco und griechische Mythologie

Flamencos en route at the TV News Tele M1, 21.5.2011
Promis bei Tanz & Kunst Königsfelden

 

 

Choreography/Stage design	Brigitta Luisa Merki
Producer	Pitt Hartmeier
Spacedesign	Beat Zoderer
Dance	Eloy Aguilar Daniel Hernández Carmen Iglesias Raquel Lamadrid José Moro Ricardo Moro Karima Nayt José Manuel Polonio Marta Roverato
Guitar	Pascual De Lorca Juan Antonio Gomez
Singer	Karima Nayt Eva Nievergelt Rocio Soto
Nyckelharpa	Erik Rydvall
Percussion	Fredrik Gille
Costumes	Carmen Perez Mateos
Lighting	Veit Kälin
Sound	audiopool
Photos	Alex Spichale
Diagram	Rose Müller
PR & Communication	Ursula Dietrich

Video

Sendung «Swisstipp» vom Donnerstag, 19.5.2011, DRS 1 Flamencos en route: Griechische Sage neu interpretiert https://www.drs.ch/lib/player/radio.php?audiourl=rtmp%3A%2F%2Fcp23910.edgefcs.net%2Fondemand%2Fmpc%2Fdrs1%2Fswisstipp%2F2011%2F05%2F110519_swisstipp.mp3&sg=10084141&sh=10179682&type=popup&skin=srdrs

Audio Data Files

abmischung_flamencoenroute_anitahuber.mp3
sr_drs_radio_player_1.webarchive

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Revista Edanza

Spanish documentary about Flamencos en route (p. 20-29)
edanza, julio/agosto 2011

Mercedes Albi, Revista Edanza, 01.07.2011

Tele M 1

Michel Erismann, Tele M 1, 05.06.2011

Rundschau

Fantastic and Full of Temperament

Describing the premiere of orfeo.eurídice. paradise in the monastic church of Königsfelden requires a large number of adjectives expressing enthusiasm. Utterly engaging, overwhelming - such were the experiences of an audience including numerous celebrities during the performance of an absolutely extraordinary dance company...
... The impressive beginning with the space-filling sounds of the Nyckelharpa is followed by Orfeo's wooing for Eurídice. His precise, masculine sapateado steps contrast with Eurídice's soft, self-revealing movements. Cold shivers run down the spectators' backs at the moment of Death's entrance. And yet, there is nothing to be feared in this black appearance, it is part of life. Eva Nievergelt's soprano adds the acoustic background to the mourning scene. The dancers - both male and female - evoke images of the Greek chorus as they recite a poem together while dancing. ...

Esther Meier, Rundschau, 26.05.2011

Der Landbote

A New Interpretation of an Old Myth

Windisch. Flamencos en route performs "orfeo.eurídice.paradise" - a masterpiece produced by choreographer Brigitta Luisa Merki and her team - in the monastic church of Königsfelden.
This multi-art dance project unites old and new perfectly. Dance and music from various traditions have been developed further to create a contemporary expression of art. They form a convincing contrast to the historic architecture and the design of the room, which suggests finiteness.
The monastic church of Königsfelden has been transformed for the performance of "orfeo.eurídice.paradise." Beat Zoderer turned the church entrance into the pearly gates of heaven and covered the floor with a continuous pattern, creating the illusion that the nave and the isles are one permeable area of space. The audience can walk on this form of temporary interference with the ecclesiastic architecture, and during the performance it becomes the stage.
The pearly gates serve as transition zone between the here and the hereafter in both directions. The interior undergoes several changes. It starts out as an earthly meadow full of nymphs. Then it turns into the river bordering Hades. Finally, it changes into a place where the Greek shadow world and the Christian Heaven have been absorbed into a new interpretation of paradise full of music and dance. Similar to the scenic integration of the visual arts, the heterogeneous forms of music and dance have a clearly-developed narrative function in "orfeo. eurídice.paradise." Brigitta Luisa Merki has taken the myth of Orpheus, which has been portrayed innumerable times already in the form of paintings, poems, and theater performances, a step farther. In a sequence of five moving tableaux she demonstrates uncompromisingly her own view of the events and characters of this traditional tale.
The story begins by showing the earthly zest for life and love and the subsequent encounter with Death. Eurydice's death is followed by a grandiose funeral march scene. After that, the story presents various impressions of a new kind of paradise full of dance, singing, and music. The tale ends with an inebriating Spanish group dance.
Orpheus is portrayed as an impulsive flamenco dancer (José Moro), who - accompanied by Nickelharpa player Erik Rydvall - represents the power of music. Death (Eloy Aguilar) brilliantly shows his mercilessness in his clearly-defined, intense, and masterful form. Then there is Eurydice (Karima Nayt), who, coming from her background of modern dance and the songs of her Algerian origins, discovers her new self in the fascinating, colorful world of sound that exists in paradise. She does not want to return to Earth and represents her own vocal style with her singing. Apart from these outstanding protagonists, the dance ensemble also dances extraordinarily well, mastering the flamenco with all its extensions into other styles. The musicians, together with unforgettable Eva Nievergelt, interact masterfully with the dancers and represent an integral part of this contemporary gesamtkunstwerk.

Ursula Pellaton, Der Landbote, 25.05.2011

Neue Zürcher Zeitung

Eurídice Chooses to Stay

Dance and Art in Königsfelden, performed by the Flamencos en route dance company
Königsfelden evokes paradise. The Flamencos en route dance company performs its own interpretation of Orpheus and Eurydice.
He stomps his feet until the gates of hell open. He tries to stir up the underworld with his dance. To no avail, he is unable to gain his love back. Orfeo's luck has run out. No matter how moving his art may be, Eurydice does not want to follow him. In death she has found a new existence and does not wish to be delivered from it. Brigitta Luisa Merki, a choreographer from Baden, presents a new interpretation of the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. In her latest production, "orfeo.eurídice. paradise", Eurídice represents an autonomous counterpart to Orpheus. He looks for her in the dark underworld. She - although sensing his longing - sings back at him. And with her beautiful, otherworldly singing she guides him back to the gates. Outside, colors radiate in the light. This is where Beat Zoderer's sphere is located. Beat Zoderer is responsible for this year's stage set for Flamencos en route's production in the monastic church of Königsfelden.
The world of dance likes to embrace the myth of Orpheus and Eurydice as well. Gluck's opera, for example, has been performed by Pina Bausch, Joachim Schlömer, Emio Greco, and others. Heinz Spoerli had Orpheus dance to the music of Henze, John Neumeier to the music of Stravinsky and Biber among others. Now it is flamenco's turn. José Moro portrays Orfeo beautifully. Moro's restrained interpretation is captivating to watch. The Venetian dancer tries to move Death with his rather quiet dance full of pain and sorrow, as if he was just a common man mourning his beloved. He easily fits in with the group of six dancers - three female and three male - structured by Brigitta Luisa Merki in simple, but therefore well-working formations. A stronger presence is Death, elegantly portrayed by Eloy Aguilar.
The impression of restraint created by the choreography is its strength: simple modern dance movements transforming into flamenco. The Algerian singer and dancer Karima Nayt portrays Eurídice, whose singing style changes from western to middle-eastern nuances of sound and becomes darker and fuller in the underworld. Her singing is contrasted by the contemporary sounds of singer Eva Nievergelt from Baden as well as by the flamenco performed by Rocio Soto. Flamenco, middle-eastern, and contemporary western music are all interwoven, driven to their conclusion by Swedish Nickelharpa player Erik Rydvall.
The performance centers around Beat Zoderer's stage set: the gates of heaven or hell, depending on the situation. The artist has transformed the entrance to the church with the help of an enormous, colorful sculpture meant to be walked on. It resembles an abstract forest as well as the barbed collar of a ferocious dog and is the entrance to another world. Anyone who wants to experience Flamencos en route has to pass through this entrance. And it is well worth it: "orfeo.eurídice.paradise" leads into a kind of paradise. The part that now concludes the trilogy at Königsfelden, which started with "resonancias" in 2007 and was followed by "caleidoscopio" in 2009, is Brigitta Luisa Merki's best production yet.

Lilo Weber, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 23.05.2011

Aargauer Zeitung

A Masterful Conclusion to the Trilogy "Dance & Art in Königsfelden"

Eurídice is dead - and Death dances a one-minute-long solo, something that ranks unique even in Brigitta Luisa Merki's oeuvre.
No less unique is Eloy Aguilar's portrayal of a character usually steeped in macabre clichés. Not here, however. Even during the most breathtaking moments Aguilar's dance clearly communicates the message: "I, la muerte, am part of life." The fact that the public instantly understands Aguilar's message is just one of many miracles in this performance. Another is the hard-to-surpass intensity of Eva Nievergelt's lament; Karima Nayt's unrivalled presence during her dancing as well as her singing; and the velvety sound of Eurídice's transition into paradise. There, Eurídice has found a new role. She invites everyone to dance, even Death. ... This production traverses the high and low points of life, thus representing Brigitta Luisa Merki's most moving oeuvre.

Elisabeth Feller, Aargauer Zeitung, 23.05.2011

Tele M 1

 

 

Tagesschau, Tele M 1, 21.05.2011