For the first time, the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra and Circa will thrill Brisbane in a fearless fusion of baroque music and contemporary circus.
'Spanish Baroque: Brandenburg and Circa' features baroque music at its core, while high-energy circus choreography storms the stage.
Circa's Associate Director, Benjamin Knapton, tells us more.
First of all, what does this show entail?
'Spanish Baroque' is our second collaboration with the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. It’s a blend of an incredible live orchestra performing dramatic classical Spanish repertoire and high energy, dynamic acrobats from the Circa ensemble.
Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz has said that the choreography will touch on love, death and rebirth… Where did the themes and ideas for this show come from?
The themes of the show come from figures and legends of Spanish history. Famous folklore, the archetypes and figures which Spain are known for – the virgin, the bull, and the blazing colour of blood red are where our Artistic Director Yaron Lifschitz found his original concepts.
Why do you think circus and baroque go together?
They complement each other, better than we even anticipated. We had a lot of success with 'French Baroque' in 2015, much to our delight we even won a Helpmann for it, so it’s terrific to be back on stage together. Yaron noted last time it was a bit of a strange union, but the circus fleshes out and literally embodies the power and passion of the Orchestra’s live soundtrack.
The music is provided by Australian Brandenburg Orchestra. How important is the soundtrack of this production?
If acrobatics are the heart of show, then the music is the soul. It’s an outstanding collection of music, based from the Orchestra’s ARIA-winning 2010 album 'Tapas'. The music was our guide when crafting the show, and is now the driving force behind our acrobatic expressions.
What have rehearsals and preparation been like for this show?
Busy, fast-paced and exciting! We’ve been visited by Australian Brandenburg Orchestra’s Artistic Director, Paul Dyer. It’s been amazing to appreciate the music and grow our choreography thanks to his unique insights into the music.
Circa is overseas doing shows at the time of this Q&A… What's it been like to have this company do so brilliantly and have the ability to tour the world?
It’s unbelievable! So far in 2017 we’ve had two world premieres, and already toured to ten countries. Tonight our ensemble perform the North American premiere of 'Il Ritorno' at La TOHU, the most prestigious circus festival in the world – which we’ve performed at seven times. Another Circa troupe is currently touring Sweden and about to work on 'Depart', a show which takes place in cemeteries around London.
What kinds of people will this show entertain?
People who love music, Spanish culture, circus, people who want to try something new. This is a great way to get a fix of Baroque and see it performed with a difference!
What would you like the audience to walk away thinking and feeling?
We want you to feel like you’ve never, ever experienced anything like this before!
'Spanish Baroque: Brandenburg and Circa' Tour Dates
10, 12 May – Melbourne Recital Centre16 May – Queensland Performing Arts Centre
