La Duse | COB Compagnia Opus Ballet

Concept Rosaria Di Maro and Adriano Bolognino
Choreography Adriano Bolognino
Choreography assistant Rosaria Di Maro
COB Opus Ballet Company

Duse changed the use of theatre, suggesting, imposing a different function for the viewer. She transformed the emotion for the sad fate of the women she represented into a reflection on pain, with her interpretative keys always opposite to what the audience expected. The spectators describe to us not Dumas’ Marguerite, nor Duse’s Marguerite, but the one they themselves imagined while watching the actress. I want to bring to the eyes of the audience all the emotions she put into the plays she interpreted, her imperceptible variations and her pushing herself to the extreme limits until she became something else. Something other than everyone else. None of the operas will be staged again, but Eleonora Duse; and those who know of this extraordinary – because out of all custom – woman, I hope may recognise the messy, solitary and rebellious Eleonora. But those who do not know, may still be fascinated by her, like the audience who could understand her all over the world, despite the fact that she only acted in Italian: ‘Dear Mama, I saw Duse yesterday. His wonderful death. I couldn’t applaud. I could not think of Duse. I could only tremble and cry and be as silent as possible in my seat. It seemed that there, right in front of me, was a glorious woman disappearing. And when she died, one felt hopeless, everything else seemed to have died with her. No fall, no noise, very few words, just that look so right.’ (Edward Gordon Craig)