Hannibal

The Punic Wars serve as a metaphor for all the wars being fought today in this ever-changing, terrifying world. Hannibal offers a lens through which to explore the confrontation between old and new. Traditional European culture, some say, is under pressure from hyperdiverse Europe. The idea that barbarians are once again at the gate, ready to erase European history, seems, however absurd, to be revived. Hannibal therefore opens a window on the past, present and future of Europe through the unique synergy of opera and slam, contemporary dance and acting. The makers take the opera Dido and Aeneas by composer Henry Purcell as their starting point, in which the mythical origins of the conflict between Europe and North Africa form the backdrop.