Protagonist
Performed: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019
Protagonist is choreographer Jefta van Dinther’s second big stage production for Cullbergbaletten. Elias, 2015’s major breakthrough artist in Swedish music, whose debut single ‘Revolution’ was a big hit, provides recorded singing and voice-over, accompanied by sound design and music from David Kiers, set design by artist duo SIMKA and lighting design by Minna Tiikkainen.
Protagonist is a contemplation on mankind. Songs of revolution and dances of evolution tell a tale of how people congregate, take on and are given roles. All the while instinct, resistance and compulsion become evidence of the battle each and every individual is fighting. Struggling to belong, in search for a common meaning or belief, a community takes shape. Protagonist is a parable about care, kinship and alliance as well as isolation, control and estrangement.’Protagonist’ is Jefta van Dinther’s second creation for Cullbergbaletten. His first, the successful production ‘Plateau Effect’, premiered in 2013 and went on to tour throughout Europe. Van Dinther received the Swedish Theatre Critics’ dance award in 2013 for the production, also chosen to be performed at the Swedish Biennial for Performing Arts in 2015. Jefta van Dinther’s work is characterised by a vigorous physical approach and nearly always implies a staged research of movement itself. The moving body is centrefold in his work, interacting with light, sound and different materials to come together as a whole. His works deal with notions of the visible and the invisible, light and darkness, illusion, affect voice and image.
”Such intense scenes with such a big group of dancers would hardly be possible with any other dance company than Cullbergbaletten, an ensemble of artists-personalities that is able to psychologically embody, to dramatically be present, that is dance and bodily technical versed and is both cognitively and contemplatively trained.” Tageszeitung
Duration approximately 60 minutes.
World premiere 7 July 2016 at Julidans, at Stadsschouwburg, Amsterdam.
Sweden premiere 23 November at Dansens Hus, Stockholm.
26.09.2019Göteborg, Stora Teatern
13.09.2019Falun, Magasinet
06.06.2019Jerusalem, The Sherover Theatre
26.02.2019Rom, Auditorium Parco della Musica
25.10.2018Hasselt, cultuurcentrum Hasselt
17.05.2018Breda, Chassé Theater
05.04.2018Villeneuve d'Ascq, La Rose des Vents
04.04.2018Villeneuve d'Ascq, La Rose des Vents
16.03.2018Sandnes, Sandnes Kulturhus
15.02.2018Madrid, Teatros del Canal
14.02.2018Madrid, Teatros del Canal
10.02.2018Sevilla, Teatro Central
09.02.2018Sevilla, Teatro Central
04.02.2018Barcelona, Mercat de les Flors
03.02.2018Barcelona, Mercat de les Flors
02.02.2018Barcelona, Mercat de les Flors
21.01.2018Paris, Théâtre National de Chaillot
20.01.2018Paris, Théâtre National de Chaillot
19.01.2018Paris, Théâtre National de Chaillot
18.01.2018Paris, Théâtre National de Chaillot
17.01.2018Paris, Théâtre National de Chaillot
13.01.2018Berlin, Hebbel am Ufer
12.01.2018Berlin, Hebbel am Ufer
11.01.2018Berlin, Hebbel am Ufer
26.10.2017Bern, Dampfzentrale
05.10.2017Malmö, Dansstationen
13.08.2017Tampere, Tampere Hall, Main Auditorium
29.04.2017Stockholm, Dansens hus, Cullberg 50 years
28.04.2017Stockholm, Dansens hus, Cullberg 50 years
27.04.2017Stockholm, Dansens hus, Cullberg 50 years
01.04.2017Vienna, Tanzquartier Wien
31.03.2017Vienna, Tanzquartier Wien
30.03.2017Vienna, Tanzquartier Wien
19.02.2017Oslo, Dansens hus
18.02.2017Oslo, Dansens hus
17.02.2017Oslo, Dansens hus
04.02.2017Essen, Pact Zollverein
03.02.2017Essen, Pact Zollverein
26.01.2017Umeå, Norrlandsoperan
29.11.2016Kortrijk, Showburg
25.11.2016Stockholm, Dansens hus
24.11.2016Stockholm, Dansens hus
23.11.2016Stockholm, Dansens hus
07.07.2016Amsterdam, Rabozaal