"Gesualdo Passione" Amala Dianor's Tenebrae responsoria

Choreographer Amala Dianor shows up where one least expects him. Leaving behind his usual language—Dianor comes from hip-hop—he ventures into an expressionist dance that responds to the dramatic tones of the text and to the singers’ “a cappella, memorized” performances.

In a certain ecumenical spirit, they combine the power of the body with the emotional tension emanating from committed performers, and they skillfully convey a completely new physicality to the singers. They can create tender, sensitive ensembles as easily as they can stamp the ground, perform handstands, or, for Damiano Bigi, embody the Crucifixion. The upper-body and arm movements—prominent for both dancers and singers—and the images of Christ on the cross resonate deeply in our imagination. Everyone throws themselves passionately into this Passione, embracing the discourse of pain and suffering in Christ’s final days. The progression toward darkness is experienced by the choreographer as “a journey of the body,” where hope, despair, and acceptance collide. The voices carry the audience toward mysticism.

Odile Cougoule