NOW WE ARE EARTH / An Orchestra

NOW WE ARE EARTH is a grand future vision of choreographer and theater maker Nicole Beutler. Music, dance, choir, and audience unite in this eco-futuristic symphony, creating a sense of greater harmony. With 8 dancers and singers, accompanied by a city choir of 45 voices, this 100-minute piece becomes a vibrant convergence of sound and movement, offering a glimpse into a dream of a possible future.

For the third and final part of the trilogy RITUALS OF TRANSFORMATION (towards a new humanity), we are collaborating with artistic partners from around Europe. Joining forces with Berlin’s Dance On Ensemble, a company for dancers over 40, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen / VONK, and Opera2Day, with whom we are shaping the journey of the participatory choirs.

The piece explores the theme of interconnectedness, seeking balance across five realms: animals, humans, plants, fungi, and technology.

NOW WE ARE EARTH promises to be a total artwork, a dance opera featuring a local city choir, with a key role for the audience. Drawing inspiration from the intricate, interconnected threads of a mycelium, the performers weave a multi-layered, resonating tapestry of colors and sounds, unfolding in endlessly branching and repeating patterns.

A co-production by Nicole Beutler Projects with Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Dance On Ensemble, and Opera2Day, supported by Internationaal Theater Amsterdam.

Premiere: April 25, 2025, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Antwerp.

RITUALS OF TRANSFORMATION III

NOW WE ARE EARTH / An Orchestra marks the third phase of the alchemical process of transforming into gold, known as the red phase, or rubedo. Following the destruction of the old world (GINKGO or: 56 million years ago there were palm trees on the North Pole – Part 1) and a phase of recovery and breathing (ATMEN / evolution is silently unfolding – Part 2), NOW WE ARE EARTH seeks to find a new balance, guiding us toward the creation of one unified world.

In an era dominated by apocalyptic scenarios, theater offers us the chance to envision a future for humanity on this planet. With this trilogy, Beutler presents alternative perspectives, looking beyond fear, embracing change, and unlocking the potential for healing. It is a hopeful vision for the future of humanity on Earth. A new equilibrium.

Is it a far-fetched fantasy, or a visionary possibility?

NOW WE ARE EARTH is a futuristic dream, a Monte Verità of the future, where opposites unite. It envisions a harmony with the boundless energy of the sun, a constant force that never fades.

In the first week of February, the second residency for this new production took place at the Ghent opera, bringing together the full team of creatives and performers. The premiere is scheduled for April 2025 at Opera Antwerpen. Stay tuned for more details on the website.

Photos from the 2024 residency in Ghent, captured by Reinout Bos.

''De inspirerende weg naar NOW WE ARE EARTH'' - Opera Ballet Vlaanderen.

In deze exclusieve blog deelt Nicole Beutler, choreograaf en artistiek leider bij Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, haar inzichten en ervaringen tijdens de totstandkoming van onze nieuwste productie NOW WE ARE EARTH/ An Orchestra. Al twee jaar werkt Nicole samen met Opera Ballet Vlaanderen via een Fast Forward-beurs van de Nederlandse overheid, met als doel nieuwe kunstvormen te ontwikkelen en te presenteren.

Vanuit haar passie voor dans en theater neemt ze ons mee door het creatieve proces, inspirerende ontmoetingen en de unieke sfeer van onze operahuizen, die de basis vormen voor deze voorstelling. Lees de volledige blog op de website van Opera Ballet Vlaanderen en ontdek wat deze reis voor haar heeft betekend.

Lees meer over NOW WE ARE EARTH/ An Orchestra [hier].