Gesualdo Passione at Barbican blends baroque music with contemporary dance in a distinctive UK premiere

The UK premiere of Carlos Gesualdo’s 400-year-old Tenebrae Responsoria unfolds at the Barbican as a collaboration between baroque ensemble Les Arts Florissants and Amala Dianor Company. Featuring six singers and four dancers, the performance fuses sacred vocal music centered on the Passion of Jesus with contemporary choreography by Senegal-born hip-hop influenced Amala Dianor. The show starts with a unified slow procession symbolizing sacred imagery such as Judas’s kiss and the crucifixion. Singers maintain vocal agility even performing while lying on the floor, while dancers present controlled, weighty movements that occasionally diverge rhythmically from the music. Lighting by Xavier Lazarini enhances the atmosphere by casting dancers as shadow puppets and evoking a sacred space with flickering columns of light. However, the choreography at times feels disconnected from the passion evoked by the music, creating an intriguing but inconsistently immersive experience. The Dance Umbrella festival, hosting this production, continues until October 31.