Clorinda Agonistes. Shobana Jeyasingh Dance, Oxford Playhouse, Tuesday 15 & Wednesday 16 November; introduced and discussed at DANSOX, Wednesday 9 November 2022 – Maggie Watson reviews

An informative and stimulating DANSOX event, hosted at St Hilda’s College on 9th November, heralded Shobana Jeyasingh’s new work, Clorinda Agonistes, which played to full houses at Oxford Playhouse last week.

Speaking at DANSOX, Jeyasingh described her work’s lengthy gestation period. The inspiration that she drew from hearing Claudio Monteverdi’s operatic scena Il combattimento di Tancredi e Clorinda led her to research the story derived from Torquato Tasso’s epic poem Gerusalemme Liberata that lay behind it. Initially drawn by Monteverdi’s use of recitative, which Jeyasingh felt had an emotional effect similar to the vocalisation of syllables in classical Indian dance, she discovered a story that in spite of its late mediaeval orientalising tropes offers new resonance and meaning for audiences today.

 

DANSOX presents Shobana Jeyasingh Dance discussion & demonstration of Clorinda Agonistes, Jacqueline du Pré Music Building 9th November 2022

Ahead of their performances at the Oxford Playhouse the following week, renowned choreographer Shobana Jeyasingh with dancers and artists of the company are invited by DANSOX (Dance Scholarship Oxford) to discuss and demonstrate the creative process for their exciting new work Clorinda Agonistes. The piece is inspired by the heroine of Claudio Monteverdi’s celebrated work, Il Combattimento, and the Tasso poem, based on the proud and fiery Muslim warrior Clorinda who defiantly refuses to reveal her name.
Followed by a Q&A session.

Date: Wednesday 9th November 5.30pm

Venue: Jacqueline du Pré Music Building, St Hilda’s College, Cowley Place, Oxford OX4 1DY. 

Reserve a seat: email susan.jones@ell.ox.ac.uk