Scapino Ballet Rotterdam – La Mer
Dance company Scapino Ballet Rotterdam performs La Mer at Stadstheater Zoetermeer, a multimedia production by choreographer Nanine Linning about the beauty and fragility of our oceans. Those who want to know more about the story and background can attend a pre-show introduction.
After Anima Obscura, Nanine Linning reunites with her international artistic team for another large-scale total experience. La Mer brings together dance, music, video art and fashion into one hybrid performance. Twenty-five dancers set the world of Debussy against the reality of today: rising sea levels, pollution and an ocean that is far from silent.
La Mer: Debussy meets the 21st century
The starting point is Claude Debussy's symphony La Mer from 1905, paired with his choral work Sirènes. Composer Yannis Kyriakides wrote a contemporary counterpart: sound compositions for soprano Barbara Hannigan, woven through with hydrophone recordings from the deepest parts of the ocean. Those recordings reveal that the ocean floor, far from quiet, hums with life and sound.
Visual scenography by Heleen Blanken
Media artist Heleen Blanken is responsible for the digital scenography, transforming the stage into an immersive underwater world. More than eighty sustainable costumes complete the picture. The result is a performance that resonates both physically and intellectually, inviting reflection on the relationship between humanity and the sea.
Pre-show introduction
Anyone who wants more context about the story, the music or the company can attend the introduction held before the performance. There is also room for questions. The introduction can be added during the booking process.
