Fugitus

By presenting FUGITUS, Lina do Carmo deals with a very German subject for the first time: »Kunst der Fuge« (»Art of the Fugue«) by Johann Sebastian Bach.

Up until today Bach‘s composition belongs to the most unrevealed and most complex pieces in musical history. Making use of poetic body language, Lina do Carmo seeks intellectual and philosophical confrontation with the musical model. Her choreography is the first dance work that deals with the whole masterpiece of »Kunst der Fuge«.

For Lina do Carmo »fuga« (from Latin: »escape«) signifies the eternal continuation of life. The work‘s fourteen fugues carry subtitles like »attraction«, »arrival«, »longing« or »becoming human« in Lina do Carmo‘s creation. In her dance she narrates the first insecure steps of man in the world, she tells us about eternal development, and about the stream of existence. Man expands the facilities of his experiences, and by his view on the world gains more importance. The physical end of life could simply be regarded as a further step in the numerous stages of development.

Sensually-joyous sequences of dance stand in correlation with more ponderous ones. Lina do Carmo confronts the severe intellectuality of Bach‘s composition with a pleasure for sensual bodiliness. She benefits from both, the rich baroque culture of her home country and the strict analysis of the music. Within the spirituality of this music Lina do Carmo discovers allusions to Afro-Indian mysticism. Accompanied either by harpsichord, or organ, or piano or a chamber orchestra, FUGITUS also draws its tension by confronting dancer and musicians.

FUGITUS is not only performed in common theatres, but also in clerical rooms, whose particular atmosphere emphasizes the sacral aspect of the subject. The church as a historic theatre place is revived.

The Press:

»Choreography of the unheard voices ... The silent monologue develops into various images. In a sort of contemporary, basically visualized liturgy, which decodes what cannot be decoded, the dancer moves through her transformations. Deliberately her choreography consists of an impressive circularity, having no other intention than to visualize the cycle of life.« (O Dia, Brazil)

»Her slow and grave choreography, a combination of an almost sacred pathos, together with clownish interludes, is carried across by Bach's music. She then however places a conscious counterpoint of stillness to the musical drama, thereby not allowing a simple symmetry between sound and visual impressions.A fascinating evening, thanks to the quality of the dancing and the maturity of the dialogue to the music.« (Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger, Germany)

»The Experience of Life and Death in Dance ... Birth and death as fixed points in an eternal circulation; are filled with mankind's experiences. An ancient theme, arousingly and shockingly interpreted by the Brazilian Lina do Carmo. With immense elegance and dynamic, which is never intimidating, she creates emphatic states of joy, confusion and transfiguration.« (Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Germany)

Supported by Kulturamt der Stadt Köln and Kultusministerium des Landes NRW