sud-virus is a choreography commissioned to Roberto Zappalà by the Goteborg Ballet (Sweden) and it has been premièred at the Goteborg Opera on the 14 October 2011. The creation has been realized by the Sicilian choreographer with 12 dancers of the swedish company, on the original music by Puccio Castrogiovanni.

To associate the word south to the word virus could be risky, as it may imply a negative connotation. The word “virus” is from the Latin v?rus referring to “poison” or “toxin”. In biology and computing, virus has totally negative connotations.

Superficially speaking, a parasitic behavior and a lack of adequate structures are also attributes often ascribed to the South.

This performance intends to turn this false and sectarian association on its head, and to propose a “south-virus” as a positive entity; as if a new scientific research had discovered a new virus – the “south-virus” – whose presence is not parasitic, deficient and unproductive, but instead rich in perspectives and ideas.

A new virus made of language. A form, an ability, a moral or aesthetic value.

Little melodies creeping into an abstract and atonal musical weave and the “south-virus” of the dance producing not venomous but health carrier toxins.

Quoting Burroughs and Laurie Anderson, “south-virus” is used in its connotation of language as a virus (“Language is a virus”). A language made of dance, music, sounds, words, and lullabies. A language made of South.

musical idea by Puccio Castrogiovanni

realized with the complicity of the concert master Adriano Murania

and the technical mastery of Salvo Noto

(from afar) Adriano Murania at the violin, Tiziana Cavaleri at the cello, Claudio Nicotra at the contrabass

and (live) by Puccio Castrogiovanni or Luca Recupero at the jew’s harps

Johann Sebastian Bach, Antonio Vivaldi and Niccolò Paganini actively contributed to the music

choreographer’s assistant Daniela Bendini

photos Mats Baecker

a production by Goteborg Opera / Goteborg Ballet

in collaboration with compagnia zappalà danza

Worldpremière Goteborg Opera (Sweden) 14 October 2011.