We at the Nightclub Suffer Together by Diego Bragà
Produced by Alkantara
A magical dialogue between the total inheritance left by Ricardo Wagner and the total artwork (Gesamtkunstwerk) of Richard Wagner
In the 1970s, at the height of the discothèque, the hearts of Latin and African-American immigrants - whole or broken - pulsed in a looping hope for a happy ending. (They died sad.)
Copacabana. We are at war.
Miss Universe takes refuge in a bunker that was, at the height of Brazilian fascism, a disco frequented by her uncle.
Combining materials from the archive of Bragà’s uncle Ricardo Wagner with fiction, and inspired by Richard Wagner’s concept of the total artwork (Gesamtkunstwerk), WE AT THE NIGHTCLUB SUFFER TOGETHER is a hyperpop opera where the bunker transforms into a magical portal.
The work engages homoerotic themes through a transfeminist lens – a spiritual and operatic gesture that embraces collective suffering and offers a glimpse of a beautiful future ahead.
With this project, Diego Bragà was one of the artists selected for CommonLAB 2024. We at the Nightclub Suffer Together is one of three projects in development produced by Alkantara in 2025.
Performances
14 November (Premiere)
9:30pm — O Espaço do Tempo (XL Box)*
15 November
7:00pm — O Espaço do Tempo (XL Box)*
*Admission is free, but booking is required via (+351) 913 699 891 or info@oespacodotempo.pt
Credits
Libretto, Composition, Direction and Choreography Diego Bragà Performance Didirella, Paulo Pascoal, Eric Meireles, João Villas-Boas Music Production & Beats Diana XL and Pedro Joaquim Borges Soundscape Nico Spinoza Assistant Director Mariana Guarda Lighting Design Rui Monteiro Set Design ROD Painting & Props Martîm Costume Design Carlota Lagido Video for stage and teasers Heverton Harieno Short Op-Docs/NYT Diego Bragà Choreographic Support Tânia Carvalho Choreography “Sereinhos” João Villas-Boas Voodoo, Kuduro and Coupé Décalé Laboratory Inés Sybille Vooduness Funk Laboratory Kai Gomes Opera Consultant Alexandra Lacroix Technical Director Ana Carocinho Produced by Alkantara – Lysandra Domingues Residencies and Support TalentLAB / Théâtres de la Ville de Luxembourg, Moussem Nomadic Arts Centre (Brussels),OPART, E.P.E. / Estúdios Victor Córdon, CAMPUS / Rivoli, Festival END and Teatro Oficina Writing Grant Coproduced by Alkantara and africologneFESTIVAL, within the framework of Common Stories, a Creative Europe programme funded by the European Union Creation Grant O Espaço do Tempo, with the support of BPI and the ”la Caixa” Foundation
Diego Bragà / DIDIRELLA (Belo Horizonte, BR) is a transfeminine artist who moves between queer operas, visceral films, and the invention of beautiful collective futures still to come. A fan of Lygia Clark, Marta Neves, Yoko Ono and Paula Rego. She moved to London at the invitation of Thomas Prattki and graduated from the London International School of Performing Arts. She was fortunate to learn from inspiring teachers, including: Acely Hovelacque, Thomas Prattki, Amy Russell, Denise Pedron, Fernando Limoeiro, Marina Abramović, Meg Stuart, Thomas Ostermeier, Céline...