Happenings 2013 Continues in Rio: Daily

By Chesney Hearst, Senior Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Beginning at 4PM on Sunday afternoon, the fourth edition of project Happenings 2013 will continue its free to the public tribute to composer Igor Stravinsky’s “The Rite of Spring.” Four more sets complete with collective performances, experimental sounds and DJ sets will fill the second and last day of the mini festival held at Centro’s Casa França-Brasil (France-Brazil House).

“The idea of ‘happenings’ originated during the time of the Dadaists,” Batman Zavareze, curator of the project, told The Rio Times in explanation of the event’s name. “It is about making a spontaneous movement and improvised art to generate a scrambling of the senses with its multiple collective actions.”

“To experience, to lead, to reflect, to risk, to inspire, to learn, to improve, to overcome, to evolve and to proceed; that remains our mantra for achievement,” Zavareze added. “It points to avant-garde performance art, making room for experimentation with artists who live on the fine line of where languages [forms of expression] ​​that are often unclassifiable in art making merge.”

“The Rites of Spring” was chosen as the focus for the fourth edition of Happenings as the work celebrates its one hundredth anniversary this year. A Parisian ballet company debuted the work on May 29, 1913.

That first performance caused an uproar. At the time, some considered the work too unconventional for a ballet due to its scenes depicting the pagan celebrations of spring in Russian settings and the sharp movements and unnatural forms during the choreography of Vaslav Nijinsky.

Stravinsky’s composition was also progressive and strange to many. He took Russian folk music and played with tonality, dissonance, meters and rhythm in ways no composer before him had.

“The Rites of Spring”, however, went on to become to be one of the most influential works of the 20th century. It is now a major part of many, if not most, of the world’s ballet companies repertoires.

Stravinsky’s composition has been featured in films including Disney’s 1940 animated film “Fantasia” and has served as inspiration for musicians from jazz musicians Charlie Parker and Alice Coltrane to “Star Wars” composer John Williams.

For the performers at Happenings 2013; “The challenge is to think how this choreographic work can be reinterpreted by other languages,” said Zavareze who also serves as curator for the Festival Multiplicidade and the Festival Panorama.

The reinterpretations began on Saturday and will continue on Sunday with XPLAU + Nado Leal in Casa França-Brasil’s Salão central (central hall) at 4PM. DJ Dany Roland will follow from 5PM-7PM with his set.

At 8PM, Spaniard Roger Bernat will bring his expZavararzeerimental theatre to Salão central and Danish DJ Lulu Rouge will close the festival in Casa França-Brasil’s outdoor space with his set beginning at 9PM.

“The intention is not to remain silent, is to provoke the public and artists to seek new experiences, offering a stage out of the commonplace,” said Zavararze of his expectations for the event. “As in previous years the idea is to make attractions that are organic without interruption, to have a different experiences. I often say if you sometimes go within the programming of the happenings you will be absorbed by your deepest curiosity and will not want to leave that place.”

For those who would like to be a part of Happening 2013’s public, entrance is free.

What: Happenings 2013
When: Sunday, November 8th, 4PM-12AM
Where: Casa França-Brasil (France-Brazil House)
Rua Visconde de Itaboraí , 78 – Centro
FREE ENTRANCE

For additional information, see Happenings 2013’s website.

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