Classic artists for a classic festival

For Salvador Sunyer, director of Temporada Alta, there are two types of festivals, "those that welcome new artists every year and those that follow the evolution.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
01 October 2022 Saturday 09:42
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Classic artists for a classic festival

For Salvador Sunyer, director of Temporada Alta, there are two types of festivals, "those that welcome new artists every year and those that follow the evolution." The Girona festival is one of the latter, simply because they believe that "the public, with the precise knowledge of an artist, does not have enough" and the best thing is to grow with it because each time "you reach larger circles of spectators". It is the tactic of fine rain, which Sunyer details with an example. In 2005, the English company Propeller Theater was one day at the Teatre Salt with Conte d'hivern. Eight years later, in 2013, they repeated for the sixth time at the festival, with Somni d'una nit d'estiu, and filled the Teatre Municipal de Girona for five days "and people were left out". Incredible.

There are a dozen international artists and companies, the classics of Temporada Alta. Apart from those who come this year, we could add Alain Platel, Thomas Ostermeier, Guy Cassiers, Javier Daulte and Lagartijas Tiradas al Sol. For an artist to come back, Sunyer sets several conditions. The first, especially that it contributes things different from what is done in our country. And, later, that he does "other shows that show a progression." And we are not just talking about people from abroad, but the classic concept of Temporada Alta could also be applied to the local scene, since there are many directors and companies that return with each new show, from Àlex Rigola to La Veronal, from El Conde de Torrefiel to Lali Ayguadé.

The relationship of the Girona festival with some artists from abroad also goes beyond that of a simple exhibitor. Often they are mixed. In recent years, we have seen how Daulte, Oskaras Koršunovas, Krystian Lupa or Cassiers directed shows with Catalan actors and actresses which, incidentally, has allowed them the wonderful rebound effect. This summer, for example, Koršunovas's Oncle Vània visited Lithuania, as well as Senyor Linh's Net, a monologue by Lluís Homar conducted by Cassiers, passed through Antwerp, and Lupa's Davant la Jubilació was in different parts of Europe.

This year, some of the most anticipated classics are returning to the festival, mixing with aspiring classics. Only time will tell if the Argentines Piel de Lava and Marina Otero repeat.