Il Giardino d′Amore (2017)
Il Giardino d’Amore is a contemporary dance staging of Italian baroque composer Alessandro Scarlatti’s eponymous early 18th century serenata based on the myth of Venus and Adonis. Meticulously set to the serenata’s lush musical score, choreography for the dancers portraying Venus and Adonis corresponds directly to its vocal lines written for soprano and castrato. Choreography for the dancers portraying Amore and other avian characters referred to in the work’s anonymously-written libretto corresponds to its various instrumental lines. Clad in fantastical prosthetics, the mythic lovers and their entourage are portrayed as prehistoric beings existing outside the framework of a traditional gender binary. The work, with costume designs by Andrew Jordan and lighting by Kathy Kaufmann, was commissioned by Danspace Project for première performances there from May 4th-6th, 2017.
Click here for designs/photos from Il Giardino d'Amore.
*This video is an excerpt from the complete work.
*This video is an excerpt from the complete work.
*This video is an excerpt from the complete work.
Original Cast:
AMORE
Gentry Isaiah George
VENUS
Christiana Axelsen & Paul Singh
ADONIS
Andrew Champlin & Melissa Toogood
A NIGHTINGALE
Caitlin Scranton
TWO BIRDS
Kyle Gerry & Justin Lynch