The 18th century Anglo-Irish poet Cecil Frances Alexander defined seasons as human emotions in her poetry Four Seasons. The 15th-century painter Giuseppe Arcimboldo created masterpieces inspired by four seasons combining them with the four elements of nature. Similarly, many artists, over the centuries have created their art inspired by nature and its elements, especially the four seasons. One such creation is The Four Seasons by the Italian dance company Oliva Contemporary Dance Project.
The Four Seasons will be staged at Mumbai's Royal Opera House on June 4. The performance revolves around the idea of an individual’s life and a journey filled with colours, obstacles and victories. We caught up with Michele Oliva, the Artistic Director at OCDP, and one of the performers and choreographers Francesca Dario to talk more about the production, the India tour and combining Vivaldi’s classics with contemporary dance. “Our concept of The Four Seasons is of a dreaming day, it is a journey throughout the day, from morning till night. Every season is a moment of that day, full of emotions with different colours,” says Michele.
With three artistes on stage, Nunzio Perricone, Luca Contini and Francesca, the 57-minute-long dance performance explores the life of dancers who will present some outstanding movements using their artistry and body. The choreography will articulate the 16th-century composer Antoni Vivaldi’s exceptional concertos of Four Seasons. When asked if combining Vivaldi’s classic with a contemporary performance brought any challenges, Michele responds in the negative. “To be honest it wasn’t very difficult to put together a show on his pieces because it was like the music was telling us what to do. Those are very powerful melodies. Music and dance for us always go hand in hand. This is crucial to us,” he offers.
Michele also tells us that this unique show is tailor-made for the India tour and will be performed for the first time in India in collaboration with The Consulate General of Italy in Mumbai, the Italian Cultural Centre, Mumbai and Avid Learning. The team is looking forward to performing and knowing more about the country's diverse culture. “We think that India is, without a shadow of a doubt, rich in creative abilities. We didn’t have the chance to explore the country before, but all the colours used in the fashion or, for instance, the variety in the cuisine, already are iconic elements defining the country as very special. It goes without saying that we would love to know more about this beautiful part of the world,” says Michele. And Francesca adds that it’s a dream come true for her to perform in India. “Performing in India is like a dream come true. Sharing my knowledge as a dancer and choreographer is an honour that I will never forget in the years to come. Showcasing our work, and our dreams to the audience will be like bringing them into my journey. We hope that the Indian audience will appreciate it,” express the choreographer.
In addition, the evening will also have a fashion show of unique Indian hand weaves by designer Vaishali S.
June 4, 7 PM onwards at Royal Opera House
Priyanka.chandani@newindianexpress.com