On Goldberg Variations/Variations

Dance, the voice of John Berger, our own texts or projections come together to make up this approach to the world of J.S. Bach.

The piece is based on the musical work Goldberg Variations/Variations by the French-American pianist and composer Dan Tepfer, in which he performs J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Varia- tions in combination with his own variations improvised on the same harmonies.

On Goldberg Variations/Variations twines together lines of language to make a weaving around the work of J.S. Bach. Dance, the voice of John Berger, texts of their own, the manipulated, multifocal sound of the soundtrack, live voice and video projections combine to create this approach by Mal Pelo to the universe of J.S. Bach.

The choreography is attuned to the particular musicality of each performer and the rhythmic and dynamic dialogue between the group and the space.

After presenting María Muñoz Bach all over the world, this piece is the second part of the BACH PROJECT, a trilogy centred around the study of the music of J.S. Bach in relation to choreographic composition.

Directors: María Muñoz i Pep Ramis

Assistants to direction: Leo Castro, Federica Porello
Creators and performers: Jordi Casanovas, Enric Fàbregas, María Muñoz, Federica Porello, Pep Ramis, Zoltàn Vakulya, Zuriñe Benavente / Leo Castro.
Music: Goldberg Variations / Variations de Dan Tepfer sobre les Variacions Goldberg de J.S. Bach.
Poems: John Berger i Juan Gelman
Texts: Edició de Mal Pelo a partir de fragments de Tim Ingold, Franck Wilczek i Mal Pelo
Lighting: August Viladomat
Sound space: Fanny Thollot
Costumes: CarmePuigdevalliPlantès
Desing and set construction: Kike Blanco
Sound technician: Andreu Bramón; Tècnic d’escenari: Genís Cordomí
Lighting technician: Irene Ferrer
Video projections: Martí Ramis
Anathomy and physiotherapy: Sergi Plà
Photography: Tristán Pérez-Martín
Production: Gemma Massó, Mamen Juan-Torres
Duration 70 minutes

Productions: Mal Pelo, Teatre Nacional de Catalunya, Dansa Quinzena Metropolitana de Barcelona and Icec-Departament de Cultura de la Generalitat de Catalunya. In collaboration with L’animal a l’esquena y Théâtre Archipel, scène nationale de Perpignan. Premier at Teatre Nacional de Catalunya from 28 to 31 March 2019.

“The number of languages at play on stage mean that it is almost impossible not to miss something. As happens in the Goldberg Variations, where the harmony acts as a unifying thread leaving the melodies free to be played around with.” Núvol 02/04/19

Azucena Moya

“This new piece by Mal Pelo has all the ingredients that have made them one of the best dance groups in our country: rigorous staging, a fertile choreographic vocabulary that combines beautiful movements with the rough and ready, cold with voluptuous, to create a swift and reflective dance, impeccable performance and a philosophical message, which on this occasion reached the audience through the words of the British writer John Berger and a poem by Juan Gelman.”El País 30/03/19

Carmen del Val

“All Mal Pelo’s wisdom as performers, with the distillation and purification of the diverse elements that make up their creative world, seem to flow together in On Goldberg Variations/Variations: reflections on what bodies can express concerning the closeness and separation between human beings, proximity to animals, a sense of wonder at the beauty of the world and of pain at ugliness, humour and lightheartedness going hand in hand with gravity, an awareness of the passing of time.”El Punt Avui 13/10/19

Imma Merino

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MAL PELO - On Goldberg Variations / Variations ©Tristan Perez-Ma

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On Goldberg Variations/Variations

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