Rhapsody in Blue is gearing up for its debut! On the occasion of the opening of the 2024 Dance Season at the Teatro Regio di Parma, the CCN/Aterballetto presents a triptych of creations, including the first performance of the new, unpublished production by Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich. Also on stage will be Yeled by Eyal Dadon and Secus, a creation by the Israeli Ohad Naharin.

In the desire to revitalize ParmaDanza through new and high-quality proposals, since my arrival at the Teatro Regio di Parma, I intended to start from the excellences present in the territory, first and foremost the National Dance Foundation/Aterballetto, the only recognized National Choreographic Center by the Italian Ministry of Culture.
For our Theater, it is essential to embrace contemporaneity and welcome new languages: year after year, CCN/Aterballetto confirms itself as an incubator of creativity, development, and experimentation, open to new artistic canons, with a consistently current perspective. These are the values that unite us and drive us to co-design and co-produce, relying on great names in international choreography and simultaneously working to spread and enhance dance culture in society.

Luciano Messi
Superintendent of the Teatro Regio di Parma

Starting a collaboration with the Teatro Regio di Parma, precisely coinciding with the launch of the development and revitalization project that Superintendent Messi is carrying out, we wondered together what the best direction of work would be. And it spontaneously came to mind to orient ourselves towards a piece of music with emblematic value. “Rhapsody in Blue” is one of those rare pieces that have become an aesthetic and even emotional center of gravity of their own time and country. And exactly one hundred years have passed since the creation of George Gershwin’s masterpiece. So here we are, once again emphasizing how important it is to collaborate across different disciplines, promoting a more contemporary vision of artistic creation.

Gigi Cristoforetti
General and Artistic Director
National Choreographic Center / Aterballetto

BEHIND THE SCENES OF DANCE

For Behind the Scenes of Dance, a series of meetings organized by the Teatro Regio di Parma curated by Valentina Bonelli, choreographers Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich, along with a pair of dancers, will reveal to the public the work behind the choreography. The open demonstration for spectators will take place on Friday, February 16th, at 4:00 PM, at the Teatro Regio di Parma and will be followed by a talk with the choreographers.

Free admission. Reservation required at: parmadanza@teatroregioparma.it

THE EVENING PROGRAM

YELED – Eyal Dadon

Yeled, a Hebrew word meaning “child,” brings to the stage the reflection conducted by the Israeli choreographer Eyal Dadon together with the dancers of Aterballetto on the moment in life when one loses the innocence of childhood.

RHAPSODY IN BLUE – Iratxe Ansa & Igor Bacovich

“Rhapsody in Blue“ by George Gershwin has several appealing aspects for us. It is a splendid piece of music, well-known but not so frequently listened to by younger generations. Introducing this work to young people is a good goal, and this piece can provide a less distant and less “American” view of Gershwin, going beyond the cultural context in which the rhapsody was created. The rhapsody will inevitably dictate the choreographic work, and the lively, sparkling changes to play with are fantastic.“ – Iratxe Ansa & Igor Bacovich

SECUS – Ohad Naharin

Secus is a creation by Ohad Naharin featuring a musical collage that spans from the unusual electronic styles of AGF to the seductive Indian melodies of Kaho Naa Pyar Hai to the resonant harmonies of the Beach Boys. This adventurous mix eclectically serves as a suitable backdrop for the boldly extravagant choreography.