Location
Opera House - On the stage
Chemnitz Opera House, Theatre Square 2, 09111 Chemnitz
Duration: 55 min
Information: In Spanish and Nukak with German and English translation
The Amazon carries violence and resistance in its memory. At the beginning of the 20th century, the rubber boom transformed the rainforest in the border triangle of Colombia,
Venezuela and Brazil into a zone of human cruelty. Drawn into a money frenzy by adventurers and criminals, indigenous communities were enslaved and exploited. The Colombian José Eustasio Rivera described these abysses in his groundbreaking novel "The Whirlpool" in 1924. This haunting production from Colombia translates motifs from it into an accessible, installative form.
Known for its visually powerful productions, the Mapa Teatro from Bogota develops a kaleidoscope of video, texts and situations. The novel is present in a skilful dramaturgy and yet the main focus on stage is on those who only appear in it in passing: the members of the Nukak, one of the last nomadic communities in Colombia. Their fate is closely linked to the violence caused by the rubber industry. Through the courageous decision of a group of Nukak,
to participate in the creation of this work of art, an extraordinary stage work has been created.
As representatives of a culture that is constantly fighting for its survival, they are actively involved in the creation of this artwork and perform live on stage. Surrounded by visually impressive videos, the audience is sucked into a dream in which documents, fictions and physical impressions flow into one another. Even the Amazon does not appear as a backdrop, but as a living counterpart and witness to life. The premiere of this production in Bogota in spring 2025 marked the opening of an extension to the National Centre for Art of Colombia.
