A Seductive and Fascinating Exploration of Tango for the 21st Century
Performance Dates: 26 & 27 May 2017
Birmingham Hippodrome is delighted to welcome the new UK Tour of m;longa from Fri 26 – Sat 27 May – a seductive and fascinating exploration of tango for the 21st century by contemporary dancer and choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui.
Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui is a Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist. Internationally renowned for his ground-breaking and critically revered productions with artists including Akram Khan and Maria Pagès, and for his award winning works such as Sutra and Babel, he has created more than 20 productions and is widely acknowledged as one of Europe’s most exciting choreographers.
Deeply rooted in Argentinean culture, tango has fascinated and captivated the world with its sexuality, power and beauty. Inspired by the late night tango scene in intimate bars across Buenos Aires, Cherkaoui draws on traditional tango influences and adds a contemporary twist in m¡longa. Created in 2013 for a cast of 17 performers – ten Argentinean tango dancers, two contemporary dancers and five musicians – Cherkaoui explores the social and choreographic vocabulary of Argentinian tango and brings his own unique choreographic style to m¡longa.
m¡longa features music from Argentinean composer Fernando Marzan. He continues the legacy of the Marzan family as a line of extremely reputable and well-known musicians in Buenos Aires and some of his many recordings include the soundtracks of Evita, starring Madonna, and The Impostors, starring Oliver Platt and Stanley Tucci. For m¡longa, Cherkaoui reunites with long term collaborator, additional composer Szymon Brzóska. Video and set design by Eugenio Szwarcer, costumes by renowned fashion designer Tim Van Steenbergen, lighting by Adam Carrée and sound by Gaston Briski.
Tango superstar Nélida Rodriguez de Aure is artistic consultant for the production. An accomplished tango teacher, some of Nélida’s most well-known students include stars of stage and screen Rita Moreno, Sharon Stone, Ivan Vasiliev, Anthony Quinn and Robert Duvall.
m¡longa was originally co-produced with Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne; Migros Culture Percentage Dance Festival Steps; Théâtre du Jorat, Mėzières; deSingel, Antwerp; Les Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg; Les Nuits de Fourvière, Lyon; Movimentos Festwochen der Autostadt in Wolfsburg; Festspielhaus St Pölten; Fondazione Musica per Roma; and Eastman.
m;longa visits Birmingham Hippodrome from Fri 26 – Sat 27 May. For tickets, call 0844 338 5000 or visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com
