SPRING

Show

Celebrate the start of spring with the exuberant dance of Mauro Bigonzetti

SPRING

Let’s celebrate springtime, and celebrate life! Introdans presents SPRING, a programme that centres around the work of Mauro Bigonzetti. The creations of this Italian master choreographer reveal an exceptional diversity, but SPRING focuses above all on the exuberant and vibrant side of his oeuvre. In addition to two of the biggest audience favourites from the Introdans repertoire – Cantata and (three excerpts from) Rossini Cards – Bigonzetti is also creating a new thrilling choreography for SPRING, specially for Introdans: Bambù. Cantata will be accompanied live by four Italian singers, Lorella Monti (Assurd), Cristina Vetrone (Assurd), Enza Pagliara and Enza Alessandra Prestia (*not on May, 2 and 3).

“Lively and compelling” wrote de Volkskrant ★★★★
“Bigonzetti’s organic flow fits the Introdancers like a glove”

“Boundless energy with SPRING” – Theaterparadijs ★★★★★

“Not often does an evening of modern dance result in such an exuberant atmosphere among the audience” – Theaterkrant
“The program is as light-hearted as it is powerful and builds up effectively.”

Introdans-director Roel Voorintholt: “At Introdans we aim to present one programme each year where we put the focus on a single choreographer – someone who’s of great importance to our company. This lets us show how an artist has developed their work over the course of time. But in the case of Bigonzetti, it’s certainly also because we know we’ll make our audiences very happy with this special ode. Bigonzetti’s work is hugely uplifting, it gives you energy, it makes you want to dance yourself and to celebrate life.”

Read the interview with Mauro Bigonzetti in which he talks about his new creation.

SPRING will premiere 22 March 2024 in Stadsschouwburg Nijmegen.

Tour: 22 March – 1 June
All locations: Amstelveen, Amsterdam, Apeldoorn, Den Bosch, Drachten, Eindhoven, Enschede, Haarlem, Kerkrade, Leverkusen (D), Lommel (B), Nijmegen, Tiel, Tilburg, Maastricht, Wageningen, Zoetermeer, Zeist, Zutphen, Zwolle

Extra information

Bambù (new creation)
Bambù is an abstract ballet full of pure dance. Bigonzetti: “The bamboo is a very beautiful plant, which is originally common in China, Japan and Vietnam. There is a lot of symbolism in it, the outside of the bamboo plant is beautiful, but even more beautiful is the structure of the roots underground. The roots of the bamboo seek each other out, work together and intertwine to withstand rain, wind and snow. Moreover, they become increasingly stronger because of this connection. This fascinates me. Especially if you draw a parallel with the turbulent times we live in now. A time when it seems increasingly difficult to really ‘connect’ with each other despite our differences; in culture, in views, in religion. This seems to go against our nature, because as humans we want to ‘connect’ with each other.”

Rossini Cards
SPRING kicks off with a festive opener: three sections from his highly praised Rossini Cards. The first two of these sections are also new to Introdans. When making this ballet, Bigonzetti took inspiration from his compatriot Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868), who was not only a famous Baroque composer but also a gourmet and an excellent cook. And Bigonzetti makes clear reference to this in the opening section: at a long table, the full cast of dancers are feasting on a generous dinner in a taut, grotesque choreography. The following duet starts off in a sentimental and romantic way but soon demands some amazing acrobatics from the dancers, with a strong dose of irony here and there. And then all inhibitions are thrown to the wind in the exuberant, farcical finale. Carelessly attired in business suits, the dancers reel around the stage in pairs, constantly form new patterns as they run and jump around like fleas. It’s all timed to the second, because Rossini Cards stands or falls with a perfect performance.

Cantata
After the interval, SPRING continues with Bigonzetti’s stirring masterpiece Cantata. In this earthy and passionate high-energy piece, the choreographer brings to life a range of characters from an Italian village – inspired by the captivating and also abrasive singing of four Italian singers, Lorella Monti (Assurd), Cristina Vetrone (Assurd), Enza Pagliara and Enza Alessandra Prestia (*not in Tiel and Lommel). Men and women vie with each other in powerful ensemble dances, and then come together in wonderful duets that are sometimes dramatic or melancholy, and then again light and humorous. As a spectator it’s hard to remain unmoved by this exuberant ode to Italian folk culture, to love, and perhaps above all to madness. In previous performances, Cantata invariably received standing ovations.

Mauro Bigonzetti (1960, Rome) was director of the famous Ballet de la Scala in Milan, among other companies, and now works as a freelance choreographer for ballet companies such as the Moscow Bolshoi Ballet, the English National Ballet, Stuttgarter Ballett, the New York City Ballet and Les Grands Ballets Canadiens.