Sál

fuse*

Artwork Description:

Sál ('soul') is a live media opera exploring the concept of impermanence, emphasizing the ever-changing essence of life. As the final chapter of a trilogy, Sál builds upon the narrative threads of the previous two performances, Ljós (2014) and Dökk (2017). In Sál, the focus shifts to the boundary of human life, embracing the notion that everything is impermanent. At the heart of the work lies a rigorous scientific research process developed in close collaboration with astrophysicists from KU Leuven University and the University of Toronto. Over months of exchange, fuse* developed a series of simulations visualizing the behavior of light and matter in the vicinity of black holes. These are phenomena that sit at the unresolved boundary between quantum mechanics and general relativity, raising some of the deepest questions physics has ever confronted about the nature of space, time, and reality itself. This boundary, separating the known from the unknown, became the visual and conceptual spine of the entire piece. This ongoing dialogue between artistic intuition and scientific rigor shaped not only the visual language of Sál, but its philosophical core: the unknown, the ungraspable, the irreversible. The piece invites the audience to contemplate life's inherent entropy and to surrender to its precious fragility. Ultimately, Sál invites us to embrace instability and the vertigo of inevitable transformation and dissolution of familiar forms. These moments of uncertainty and disorientation often become opportunities to rediscover kindness and compassion, reconnecting deeply with our human nature, with our soul.

Project Collaborators:

Sál is a live media opera conceived and produced by fuse* Art Direction, Executive Production: Mattia Carretti, Luca Camellini Choreography: Diego Tortelli Dancers: Hélias Salvador Dorvault, Vittoria Franchina Concept: Mattia Carretti Visual Research, Technical Direction: Luca Camellini Original Music Composition: Riccardo Bazzoni Visual Development: Alessandro Mintrone Software Development: Matteo Amerena, Matteo William Salsi Light Design: Stefano Cane, Matteo Amerena Hardware Engineering: Matteo Amerena Production Assistant: Filippo Aldovini, Virginia Bianchi, Martina Reggiani Communication and Copy: Virginia Bianchi, Filippo Aldovini, Giulia Caselli, Olimpia Zamò Sál is co-produced by the National Taichung Theater in Taiwan, where the world premiere has been held on April 26-27, 2025.