DI SOGNO E VOLO

Maria Bonzanigo in Di Sogno e Volo – On dreaming and flying based on the short story “Elvira” by Hugo Gargiulo choreography and direction: Maria Bonzanigo lights: Marco Finzi Pasca scenography: Hugo Gargiulo artistic co-operation: Antonio Vergamini music by: Samuel Barber, Frank Martin, Arvo Pärt and Astor Piazzolla contributions: Pro Helvetia, Commissione Culturale del Canton Ticino and contributing members of the Teatro Sunil Association

This production looks into and tells of the transient sensation of flying, which I often experience in my dreams. While dancing I try to recreate this special state of grace and liberty, which vanishes the moment I wake up. Every element of this production touches upon one of the threads that help to recreate this suspension. Instead of saying that we looked for the music, objecs and costumes, it would be more appropriate to say that the music, objects and costumes found us.

Every object has gone through a secret journey and carries within itself its past, disclosing an ethereal and mysterious dimension that is usually kept hidden in daily life. A dimension in which everything dreams and flies. Light is an associate and a friend. It’s the story of Elvira, a life that glides on the border between waking and sleeping. Hugo and I carefully replaced the words by an association of images. We came up with a dreamlike translation, which led us to the creation of a scenographic and choreographic dramaturgy. We would like to tell of this aspiration to reach that world of liberty. If we don’t succeed, it’s because there are too many stones in our pockets. Maria Bonzanigo

Press: Maria Bonzanigo dreams and takes wing. With On dreaming and flying, Maria Bonzanigo takes the desire to fly on to the stage, transforming this desire into a real description of the flying in our dreams thanks to a wonderful interpretation. Her hair, her garments and above all her hands vibrate suggesting to the public the magic of suspension. Even an old wooden wardrobe seems light, also dream material. A dream that can become disquieting when the mirror in the wardrobe becomes alive with faces and masks. This is achieved by the ingenious use of light. The lights, which are very well orchestrated by Marco Finzi Pasca, constitute the main element of the dramaturgy. In this her latest work Maria Bonzanigo achieves an even further refinement of her absolute sound perception. All this wells up in her gestures. Alba Reguzzi, Corriere del Ticino 21 August 2000 – Lugano, Switzerland

The music is very appropriate: it takes you in immediately. The plot takes advantage of the music to accomplish its drammatic structure. The whole symbolic figurative apparatus is unravelled in an orderly way. It’s the triumph of Magritte’s gracefulness; lightness, which the dancer expresses with the fullness of her technical and stylistical maturity with ease and confidence in a tireless, fascinating choreography.The choreography is built upon intelligent solutions thought out expressly for this show. Body and music unite in the rythm and the urging spirals of the musical accents. Maria Bonzanigo goes through her secret path with irony and with that clownesque candour that has characterized part of her artistic career. She is helped by an accomplished use of the lights (Marco Finzi Pasca). The whole makes “On Dreaming and Flying” a very intense, pleasant , tender and intelligent show. Giorgio Thoeni, Azione 23 August 2000 – Lugano, Switzerland