The new production Idyllic for the planet unfolds today and tomorrow at ADDA Simfònica, a fully sold-out show that blends cutting-edge audio-visual design with a clear message about the climate crisis. The performance arrives in Alicante as a powerful, immersive experience that invites audiences to reflect on environmental issues while enjoying top-tier stagecraft and live music.
Carlus Padrissa serves as the stage director, and Joseph Vincent oversees the musical direction for this innovative staging at the Alicante auditorium, adapting the company’s works for the space. The collaboration brings elements from Carmen in 2016 and other creations from 2019 into a new, site-specific interpretation that speaks to contemporary concerns while preserving the playfulness and intensity typical of Fura dels Baus.
We are witnessing great anticipation. From the ADDA stage, Padrissa emphasized the ensemble’s commitment: this ADDA venue is like a Stradivarius, a vessel that demands careful, inspired use. The team is prepared to premiere with the same passion that has driven their productions for years, and the atmosphere around the rehearsal underscores that commitment.
The company notes a period of tremendous creative energy, describing Idyllic for the planet as a fusion of the best of their recent ventures. The show blends electronic textures, audio-visual marvels, video projections, and theatrical work by actors, singers, and acrobats, all capped by an orchestra delivering live music. The overall effect promises something sublime and captivating for audiences, uniting several art forms into a single, coherent experience.
Idyllic for the Planet rehearsal at ADDA this Monday
The production presents its own interpretation of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6, also known as the Pastoral Symphony. Composed in 1808, this work stands among Beethoven’s few programmatic pieces with descriptive subtitles that evoke memories of village life. The new staging reinvents the music, weaving in elements from composers such as Reicha, Weber, Rietz, and Mendelssohn to create a contemporary tapestry that resonates with today’s environmental themes.
Alongside the musical reimagining, the show invites the audience to participate in shaping its final form. Viewers may influence the onstage experience through their reactions, choosing toward a hopeful future or a more cautionary, apocalyptic vision for humanity. This participatory element adds a layer of immediacy, turning the event into a collaborative exploration of possible futures rather than a fixed narrative alone. The approach reflects a broader artistic aim: to fuse environmental storytelling with an engaging live performance that prompts reflection and dialogue.