"Le partenaire" is about "postproduction" in contemporary art. I find this category as the key to understand contemporary production in art. It's based on an original concert that took place in l"Opera de Paris in 1958. It was recorded and transmitted by television to all European countries.

"Le partenaire" is the story of a character that didn't exist, Théophile Hiroux, a singer that in the presentation of Maria Callas in Paris surprisingly closes the concert of the Diva. The tenor, whose original function was to be a supporting singer, finally becames the star of the night.

The role of the "partenaire" (Hiroux) is played by Hernan Marina (author of the piece). Hiroux is supposed to be a singer at the Opera de Paris. After singing many duos with Callas, he feels despised when not invited to the final salutation. Annoyed by the situation, he goes out and sings the tragic aria "E lucevan le stele" (Act III of Tosca), that wasn't in the original program.

This piece, a kind of ironic view of "high" culture and its old fashion codes, also tries to question the idea of the divo's quality, throughout the absurd competition between Callas and un unknown tenor.

Hernan Marina


Supporters:
Mirta Demare
Ruimte Voor Actuele Kunst
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores de la República Argentina
Servicio de cooperación y de acción cultural de la Embajada de Francia (SCAC)
Juventus Lyrica - Asociación de Opera