Romances inciertos, un autre Orlando

A journey through time that evokes the reincarnations of Virginia Woolf’s Orlando, Romances inciertos extols the beauty of the infinite metamorphoses of identity. Perched on stilts, barefoot or on pointe shoes, the virtuoso François Chaignaud incarnates three figures from Spanish folklore who are reborn in this dazzling choreographic concert.

A warrior maiden dressed as a man, a San Miguel torn between sorrow and devotion, an androgynous gypsy woman disappointed in love. Four musicians under the amiable direction of Nino Laisné interweave concertina, flamenco and baroque music with the base-baritone and countertenor voice of Chaignaud. With the body out of kilter and oozing the sensuality of the ages, the performer delivers a spellbinding interpretation that shifts between piety and eroticism. Combining ballads, cabaret and folk tales, this impure and fundamentally contemporary work strikes the heart by celebrating the eternal mutations of art and desire.

Produced by François Chaignaud + Nino Laisné
Concept, Choreography, Voice and Dance François Chaignaud
Concept, Stage and Musical Direction Nino Laisné
Music Jean-Baptiste Henry (bandoneon) + François Joubert-Caillet (viola da gamba) + Pere Olivé (historical and traditional percussion) + Pablo Zapico (theorbo and baroque guitar)
Lighting Technician and Stage Manager Anthony Merlaud
Sound Technician Charles-Alexandre Englebert
Dresser Cara Ben Assayag
Costume Design Carmen Anaya + Kevin Auger + Séverine Besson + María Ángel + Buesa Pueyo + Caroline Dumoutiers + Pedro García + Carmen Granell + Manuel Guzmán + Isabel López + María Martinez + Tania Morillo Fernández + Helena Petit + Elena Santiago
Set Head Painter Marie Maresca
Painter Fanny Gaudreau
Image Editing Remy Moulin + Marie B. Schneider
Carpenters Christophe Charamond + Emanuel Coelho
Administration and Production Barbara Coffy + Jeanne Lefèvre + Clémentine Rougier
Tour Planning Sarah De Ganck/ART HAPPENS
Executive Producers Vlovajob Pru + Chambre 415 

Co-produced by Bonlieu Scène nationale (Annecy) + La Bâtie – Festival de Genève with the support of FEDER du programme INTERREG France-Suisse 2014-2020 + Chaillot – Théâtre national de la Danse (Paris) + deSingel (Anvers) + Maison de la musique de Nanterre + Arsenal / Cité musicale-Metz 

With the support of Région Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes + Spedidam + PACT Zollverein Essen + TANDEM Scène nationale (Douai) + Ayuntamiento de Anguiano (La Rioja) + Pépinières Européennes pour Jeunes Artistes

Creative residencies Ayuntamiento de Huesca – Aragon (Park in Progress 12) + Teatros del canal (Madrid) + Centre national de la danse (Pantin)+ Ménagerie de verre – Studiolab (Paris) + El Garaje (Cadíz)

François Chaignaud is an associate artist at Bonlieu Scène nationale Annecy. Nino Laisné is a member of the Académie de France in Madrid – Casa de Velázquez.

Presented with the support of Institut Français (Paris) + Service de coopération et d’action culturelle du Consulat général de France à Québec in association with Monument-National + salle Bourgie

Written by Elsa Pépin
Translated by Neil Kroetsch

Premiered at Théâtre Saint-Gervais, Geneva, on Septembre 9, 2017