Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti

A dance solo inspired by the world’s loneliest whale.

Whales sing to survive, to mate, to pass the time, and also for no reason at all. 52 Blue is an individual whale that emits a sound at 52 hertz, a frequency so unusually high that no other whales are interested in its company. What is it that makes individuals pull away from each other? Is life bearable when there is no one else around?

Alone on stage, Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti sings and dances. He embodies this animal that cannot live among us, because it just doesn’t fit in. It is inadequate. A big whale, blue and alone, singing a song that cannot be heard. It’s sad. It’s beautiful. A song to make us cry.

52blue is the first part of a diptych in which Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti is inspired by whales to think about relations between people.

Performed, created, and directed by Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti Dramaturgy and assistant director Piero Ramella Creative dialogue António Pocinho Rivotti, Daniel Pizamiglio, Francisca Pinto Mentorship Ntando Cele, Nadia Beugré Lighting designer and technical director Luís Moreira Cenography and costumes Francisco Thiago Cavalcanti Music Gustavo Portela Songs Vapor Barato (Jards Macalé, Waly Salomão), Tired of Being Alone (Al Green), Love Is a Losing Game (Amy Winehouse), La Strada (Nino Rota) Video Gustavo Portela/Varanda Criativa Photography Jamille Queiroz Voice, movement work António Pocinho Rivotti, Laya Producer Sinara Suzin for Alkantara Produced by Alkantara Coproduced by Alkantara Funded by Alkantara, In Ex(ile) Lab – Creative Europe, Santarcangelo Festival/European Festivals Fund For Emerging Artists, La Caldera e Teatro da Voz/Real Pelágio Artistic residencies Forum Dança, Alkantara, Teatro da Voz, Santarcagelo Dei Teatri, La Caldera, Porto Iracema das Artes, Hub Porto Dragão, Companhia Anagoor/La Conigliera and Centro Cultural do Mestre Peixinho/Ilê do Seu Peixinho Thanks to Vânia Vaz, Bárbara Cordeiro, Sara Paternesi, Yaw Tembe, Walesca Timmen, Isabelle Maciel, Clarissa Rêgo, Javier Cuevas and team

A project by um cavalo disse mamãe