Amongst the many processes taking place in America from the time of Christopher Columbus to our days, one of the most interesting and perhaps less dealt with is that of the Americanization of the European man and his way of thinking. The novel Daimon by Argentinian Abel Posse, which inspired this dance theater work, deals with this subject through the person, or, more specifically, through the spirit of the most controversial and subversive of the Spaniards who came to America, Lope de Aguirre.

Aguirre (1513–1561) called himself a Tyrant, a Traitor, a Pilgrim. From the Amazon jungle, he declared war against Philip the Second of Spain, and founded the Marañon Empire. Apparently he only believed in power, in war, in delirium. He eliminated his superiors and almost all of his followers, including women and friars. He killed his own fifteen-year-old daughter to alleviate her from the pains of life. His ambition was to consolidate his empire, take over Perú, subdue Spain, and rule the world.

CREDITS

Conceived by Federico Restrepo, Ivan Cadozo, Rodrigo Lalinde, & Luis Alberto Restrepo
Choreographed & Directed by Federico Restrepo
Advisor to the Director: Luis Alberto Restrepo
Music Composition: Arrieta, Sagarminaga, Uribe
Performers: Federico Restrepo, Ivan Cardozo, Victor Medoza, Mauricio Montoya, Juan Diego Pureta, Jorge Quinones, Maria Paulina De Zubiria
Light Design: Rodrigo Lalinde
Costume Design: Gabriela Monrroy
Costume Construction: Margarita Castilla, Gabriela Monrroy
Puppet Design: Federico Restrepo, Ivan Cardozo
Puppet Construction: Federico Restrepo, Ana Maria Buritica, Ivan Cardozo, Victor Mendoza, Jorge Quinones
Rigging Design: Federico Restrepo
Production Coordination: Federico Restrepo, Wilson Garcia, Luz Jaramillo,
Luz Angela Sierra

PRESENTATIONS

1995

La Casa del Teatro Nacional
Bogotá, Colombia

International Contemporary Dance Festival
Barranquilla, Colombia

Theater District Festival
Bogotá, Colombia

Teatro Nacional la Castellana
Bogotá, Colombia

Teaching Programs at Teatro Jorge Eliecer Gaitan
Bogotá, Colombia

1996

Teatro dell’Angelo
Roma, Italy

La MaMa ETC
New York

Teatro Parque Nacional
Bogotá, Colombia

XVIII Theater Festival Manizales
Bogotá, Colombia

Fifty Eighth Anniversary of la Media Torta
Bogotá, Colombia

PRESS

New York

“Dance Review: Nightmares Of Fanatics And Jungles”
Jack Anderson, The New York Times

Italy

“Aguirre, la spirale del guerriero”
Pietro Favari, Corriere Della Sera

Cristina Armeni, Spettacoli a Roma

L’Unita Marco Caporal

Colombia

“La espiral del guerrero Aguirre”
Luis Luque Luca, El Tiempo

Kelly Velasquez, El Tiempo

Gustavo Alvarez Gardeazabal, Cromos