Ea Sola (France/ Vietnam)

DROUGHT AND RAIN

3/5|Friday|8pm     Macao Cultural Centre Grand Auditorium     Tickets: MOP 200, 150, 120

Dramaturgy, Choreography, Scenography, Lighting and Costumes: Ea Sola
Composer: Nguyen Xuan Son
Musical Arrangements: Nguyen Xuan Son and Ea Sola
Lyrics: Nguyen Duy
Co-production: Edinburgh International Festival, Sadler's Wells London, Napoli Teatro Festival Italia, in association with Scène nationale de Sénart

French Vietnamese director, choreographer and performance artist Ea Sola’s 2011 re-creation of Drought and Rain, commissioned by the Edinburgh International Festival, continues Sola's life-long study of the memory of war, an artistic investigation offering deep insight into the tumultuous history and sufferings of a country. In the space of just over an hour, this moving and beautiful work, featuring traditional singing, hypnotic dance movements and a live musical ensemble, conjures up an astonishing view of the spirit of humanity, an achievement made all the more striking by the fact that no professional dancers take part: the dozen women on stage are singers who once performed to comfort soldiers on the front during the Vietnam War. In fact, the entire cast of traditional musicians, singers and female performers are aged 55 to 75.

Drought and Rain is an allegory in which the sun and the rain battle for dominance over a powerless population, a reference to people’s memory of the war, as well as their fight for survival against the extremes of the Vietnamese climate. “Drought and Rain is not only about the war, it’s about all of us – how we bear difficulties and how we can all learn to forgive” (Ea Sola).

“…a universal narrative that is profound, enlightening and uplifting.”

  • The Guardian (UK)

Duration: approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes, no interval

Organiser: Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao SAR Government
Co-organisers: Consulate General of France in Hong Kong and Macau
Alliance Française de Macao

Return of the anonymous
(by Yao, Sunteck, corporeal mime performer, Graduated in Arts du spectacle ( Université Paris III ‐ Sorbonne Nouvelle ) from Université Paris III)