Trajal Harell opens the new season of Teatro Municipal to the sound of Keith Jarrett and Joni Mitchel
Article
DR
The 10th season of Teatro Municipal do Porto (TMP) opens with The Köln Concert by American choreographer Trajal Harrell this Friday and Saturday, 13th and 14th September, at Teatro Rivoli. This celebration brings together voguing , ballroom dancing and contemporary dance to the sound of Keith Jarrett and Joni Mitchell.
The soundtrack of the show is based on the famous recording — which lends its title to the show — of the legendary concert by pianist Keith Jarrett. In 1975, upon arriving at the Cologne Opera House, Jarrett realised that the piano he was to play was not the right one. Despite the discomfort, he began an hour-long improvisation, whose recording became one of the best-selling albums in the history of classical music and jazz: The Köln Concert.
However, the show doesn't start with Jarrett’s music. On stage, we see seven piano benches, one for each performer. As the audience enters, Harell is already on stage, dressed in a gown over a shirt and trousers, observing the room. The lights dim, and the movements of the choreographer and performer first unfold to the sound of four songs by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell.
The American choreographer gained international recognition with his pieces Twenty Looks and Paris is Burning at Judson Church, and he is now a regular presence in the international dance and visual arts circuit.
Trajal Harrell's style results from the combination of different dance languages, along with the fragility and humour that characterise his work. He has been director of the Schauspielhaus Zürich since 2019, where he also directs the Schauspielhaus Zürich Dance Ensemble dance company.
The Köln Concert will be performed for the first time in Portugal on Friday, 13th September, at 7:30 p.m., and on Saturday, 14th September, at 9:30 p.m. at Teatro Rivoli. The performance on 14th September will also feature audio description.
The full programme of the Teatro Municipal do Porto is available online.