After the implosion of their planet, six individuals find themselves on a pile of debris from a dismantled organ. Adrift on this raft, these beings gestate in a cosmic fluid where the pipes of the instrument resonate like a distant echo. In this in-between world, their bodies oscillate between reactivity and abandonment, vulnerability and impulsivity, thereby releasing the psychic toxins of a past order.
The piece was born from an organ I recovered in a deconsecrated church. Using recordings from the organ pipes and vocals, the music is characterized by energetic flows – simultaneously frenetic and restless, ecstatic and melancholic – echoing the group’s journey aboard this timeless raft. Their memories still freshly imprinted by the cataclysm, their gestures reflect the fragility of any attempt at coexistence.
Choreography, music, set design: Alejandro Sajgalik
Performers: Léonie Bélanger, Anna Duverne, Mathieu Hérard, Osbiel Lazo, Ciro Melgaço, Marie-Maxime Ross
Costumes: Jonathan Girard
Lights and technical direction: Lee Anholt
Rehearsal director: Tony Chong
Understudy: Laura Brisson
Videography: Alex Nadeau-Farley
Photography: Rodolfo Rueda
Graphic design: Stephen Pierce
Residencies: Centre de Création O Vertigo, Maison de la culture Janine-Sutto
Support from Conseil des arts et des lettres du Québec, Conseil des arts de Montréal.
Premiered 7.8.9.10 November 2024. Montréal, Canada
“Nova Express is a beautiful exploration of a post-world, questioning humanity’s place and its capacity to adapt. Through refined scenography and talented performers, we delve into the fragility of humanity in the face of the world, but also its strength when united and creating. Despite the seemingly heavy subject matter, Nova Express also carries hope at its core and offers an optimistic vision for an uncertain future.” - Le Devoir