Third Practice

”Simultaneously in the 17th century, the present and the future — tenor Topi Lehtipuu’s multifaceted expression was gripping”

- RONDO

“Sophisticated --- baroque transposed to the contemporary”

- LA PROVINCIA DI CREMONA (Italy)

”An ambitious union of dance and music — Unforgettable moments”

- HELSINGIN SANOMAT

”A true total artwork --- Magic”

- HUFVUDSTADSBLADET

”Captures the immaterial reflections of human longing, even in digital format -- a handsome, independent work of art”

- HELSINGIN SANOMAT, 2021

”An extraordinary work --- Once again Tero Saarinen and his dancers and associates have given me an experience like no other. I love dance that expands the boundaries of my thinking. Third Practice does that and more.”

- MICHELLEPOTTER.ORG, 2021 (Australia)

”Contrary to preconceived fears, the multi-camera recording of Third Practice manages to bring dance to the viewer's skin, with well-thought-out angles and sizes in the editing.”

- TEATTERI & TANSSI + SIRKUS, 2021

Choreographer's Note

“I am interested in the way that, right now, we are having to recalibrate our existence and to rethink our humanity: our relationship to the world, to its changes and its history. At turning points there is always a chance of finding but sadly also of forgetting something. What inspires and touches me is the character of Monteverdi’s music, which was revolutionary in its time and which demands skill, while also being free-flowing and intimate. Amid the tumult of the world the Renaissance values that resonate in the Madrigals seem to be perpetually relevant as a way of anchoring ourselves. On the other hand, just as the composer once did with his newly created Seconda prattica, I too seek a new kind of expression – a third practice – in my choreography.”

– Tero Saarinen

About the Music

“Although the music in the work is characteristic of a certain epoch, the world that opens out on the stage is totally abstract. From Helsinki Baroque Orchestra’s perspective what particularly expanded our horizon is the combination of sound amplification, virtual soloist and movement with the work of live musicians. Relating the partly improvisatory character of the madrigals to the stage arrangements and to the collaboration between the dancers is also an interesting challenge.”

– Aapo Häkkinen

Creative team

Choreographer & Concept
Tero Saarinen

Music direction, Arrangement
Aapo Häkkinen

Lighting design
Eero Auvinen

Costume design
Erika Turunen

Projection design
Thomas Freundlich

Sound design
Marco Melchior

Choreographer’s Assistant
Henrikki Heikkilä

Choreographer’s Assistant, Rehearsal Director
Satu Halttunen

Tenor
Topi Lehtipuu

Virtual soprano
Núria Rial

Dancer
Jenna Broas

Dancer
Annika Hyvärinen

Dancer
Natasha Lommi

Dancer
Pekka Louhio

Dancer
David Scarantino

Dancer
Eero Vesterinen

Musician (Violin)
Aira Maria Lehtipuu

Musician (Violin)
Anthony Marini

Musician (Recorder)
Julien Martin

Musician (Theorbo)
Eero Palviainen

Musician (Viola da gamba)
Mikko Perkola

Choreography & Concept Tero Saarinen
Music Claudio Monteverdi
Music direction, Arrangement Aapo Häkkinen
Lighting design Eero Auvinen (TTT-Theatre)
Costume design Erika Turunen
Projection design Thomas Freundlich
Sound design Marco Melchior
Choreographer’s Assistants Henrikki Heikkilä, Satu Halttunen

Tenor Topi Lehtipuu
Virtual soprano Núria Rial

Dancers | Tero Saarinen Company Jenna Broas, Annika Hyvärinen, Natasha Lommi, Pekka Louhio, David Scarantino, Eero Vesterinen

Musicians | Helsinki Baroque Orchestra Aapo Häkkinen (harpsichord), Aira Maria Lehtipuu (violin), Anthony Marini (violin) , Julien Martin (recorder), Eero Palviainen (theorbo), Mikko Perkola (viola da gamba)

Tirsi e Clori recording Núria Rial, soprano, Tuuli Lindeberg, soprano, Teppo Lampela, countertenor, Topi Lehtipuu, tenor, Jussi Lehtipuu, bass

Streaming production | Tero Saarinen Company in collaboration with Thomas Freundlich (Lumikinos Production, 2021)

With thanks to
Jane & Aatos Erkko Foundation
Ministry of Education and Culture
Anonymous donor

Duration

60 minutes, no intermission

Premiere

29 May, 2019, Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli, Rassegna di Danza & Festival Monteverdi, Cremona, Italy

Production

Tero Saarinen Company in collaboration with Fondazione Teatro Amilcare Ponchielli (Italy) Rassegna di Danza & Festival Monteverdi (Fondazione Teatro A. Ponchielli, Cremona, Italy), ATER – Associazione Teatrale Emilia Romagna (Italy), Kuopio Dance Festival (Finland), Stoa (Finland), the Finnish National Theatre and TTT-Theatre (Finland)

Third Practice

Choreographer's Note

About the Music

Creative team

Third Practice

#thirdpractice #tscontour

Facebook @terosaarinencompany

Instagram @terosaarinenco

See also

Productions

Morphed

Productions

Zimmermann Trio

Productions

Breath