Cosimo, the central character in Italo Calvino’s The Baron in the Trees, makes the bold decision to reside in trees for the rest of his life.
Motivated by an act of courage and freedom, he observes the world with a fresh perspective, all the while maintaining his connection to earthly affections and his curiosity about humanity.
Inspired by Cosimo’s unconventional choice, we have decided to stage the company’s new production in parks, utilizing trees as vertical surfaces for dance.
A circus hoop is arranged as a swing, evoking Cosimo’s encounter with Viola. A bicycle allows her to traverse the park without touching the ground. The tree-woman and the half-woman half-bird creature redirect the spectator’s gaze towards the tree canopies, while the snail-woman, moving with deliberate slowness, performs a mysterious and delicate dance on the ground.
The characters on stage converge in the trees, engaging in an energetic dance that conveys a sense of weightlessness—a portrayal of height as home, comfort, and a conscious choice.
Voltaire fu molto sorpreso, fors’anche perché il fratello di quel fenomeno appariva persona così normale, e si mise a farmi domande, come: – Mais c’est pour approcher du ciel, que votre frère reste là-haut? – Mio fratello sostiene – risposi – che chi vuole guardare bene la terra deve tenersi alla distanza necessaria – e il Voltaire apprezzò molto la risposta.
Italo Calvino, Il Barone Rampante
