France – “Nina” by Fanny & Alexander at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence is the new international stage of Nina, Fanny & Alexander’s homage to the singer, pianist, and civil-rights activist Nina Simone – born Eunice Kathleen Waymon.
Nina is part of the rich and varied programme of Aix en Juin, the event taking place from June 10 to 29 as a ‘Prelude’ to the prestigious Festival of July.
The performance, conceived by Luigi De Angelis, also director and curator of the light design, is based on the dramaturgy of Chiara Lagani, who also designed the costumes. The award-winning American soprano Claron McFadden plays Nina, or better, she "inhabits the voice" of Nina Simone, thanks to a technique Fanny & Alexander has termed “eterodirezione” (heterodirection). Starting from recordings of her performances, radio-TV interviews, and public speeches, McFadden composes a complete mimetic portrait of the great artist.
«When Luigi told me about this project, I thought ‘This is the time for me to really get to know Nina Simone, to dive into her world’ – Claron McFadden explains. – I think what makes this show really special is that we don't memorize a script and we don’t try to give an interpretation. We let Nina speak through me».
Alongside Se questo è Levi (If this is Levi) – winner of two Ubu Prizes –, Nina is part of a line of research with which Fanny & Alexander composes ‘mimetic portraits’ of relevant figures in recent history – writers, artists, philosophers, whose words and work continue to be relevant for our present.
The performance is on stage on June 21 (8 pm) at the Pavillon Noir.