Hannibal

Musicians and classical music artists reinterpret Purcell live to revisit the story of Hannibal, the Punic Wars, and the birth of Europe. In the 3rd century BC, the Carthaginian commander Hannibal Barca crossed Spain, France, and Italy in a campaign that shook the foundations of the Roman Empire: Hannibal ad portas. At a time when war once again ravages European soil and refugees continue to die in the Mediterranean, Hannibal takes on a disturbing relevance. The show exposes how fear and the thirst for power continue to shape History — and how myths and propaganda are used to create enemies and justify borders. What does "civilization" mean when people die at Europe's gates? Through a unique fusion of opera and slam poetry, contemporary dance and theater, the piece opens a window onto the past, present, and future of Europe. In Hannibal, artists from Africa and Europe combine contemporary video and projection with live painting and acoustic instruments, creating a collective, intense, and deeply sensory performative experience. The presentation of this project was made possible through the PROSPERO NEW platform, co-financed by the Creative Europe program of the European Union.