Assembly

presented by Sydney Festival in association with Brisbane Festival and Melbourne Festival

Chunky Move and Victorian Opera (Australia)

With Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

World Premiere Season 

Devised by Chunky Move's Gideon Obarzanek in partnership with Victorian Opera's Music Director Richard Gill, Assembly investigates the enigmatic motion of crowds.

Integrating dance with theatrical and operatic performance, this grand piece involves more than 60 performers on stage, combining the force and agility of eight of Chunky Move's most exceptional dancers with waves of medieval and contemporary choral music from six principal singers and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs.

Together the entire cast is choreographed into an awe-inspiring mixture of movement and voice, shifting and swaying the action between perfect order and the unpredictable clamour of the mob.

Obarzanek has been acclaimed for his use of technology and stagecraft - Assembly sees him return to a more stripped-back approach for this powerful exploration of our role as individuals in the human throng.

Song list
Io Tacero - Gesualdo
Amicus Meus - Victoria
O Vos Omnes - Victoria
Hear My Prayer - Henry Purcell
Ave Verum - Plainchant
Video Caelos Apertos - Plainchant
Christus Surrexit - Plainchant
My World Is Empty Without You - Holland B/Dozier L/Holland E

Gideon Obarzanek appears as part of our free talks program Microscope: Festival Artists in conversation with Caroline Baum.

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