Ohad Naharin’s MOMO, set to music from Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet’s 2018 album Landfall.

Detroit Opera House debut! An exceptional dancer and choreographer, Ohad Naharin has made Batsheva one of the greatest contemporary dance companies in the world. His new creation for the company’s 18 dancers, MOMO, premiered in Tel Aviv in December 2022 and is set to a soundtrack largely drawn from the album Landfall by Laurie Anderson and the Kronos Quartet. Developed in collaboration with Batsheva dancers and former company member Ariel Cohen, MOMO has two souls. One sends long roots to the depths of the earth, and the other is in a constant search for an individual and distinct DNA. Through it all, a shared passion of deep sorrow and beauty unfolds on stage.

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Batsheva Dance Company: MOMO

Detroit Opera House

Widely recognized as one of the foremost contemporary dance companies in the world, the critically acclaimed Batsheva Dance Company returns with the Nashville premiere of MOMO, their newest evening-length work from master choreographer Ohad Naharin. In the company’s words, “MOMO has two souls. One embodies archetypes and myths of hardened, raw masculinity, and the other is in a constant search for an individual and distinct DNA. One moves within its own autonomous and independent force field, and the other is a constellation of elements that spin around the same nucleus – alternately drifting away and towards it, making room for necessary tenderness and catharsis.” MOMO is set to a soundtrack comprised mostly from the iconic Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet’s work, Landfall, with additional music by Philip Glass, Arca, and Maxim Waratt.   MOMO is co-created by Batsheva Dance Company dancers and Ariel Cohen with lighting design by Avi Yona Bueno (Bambi), set and props design by Gadi Tzachor, costume design by Eri Nakamura, and Sound design and editing by Maxim Waratt.

Tennessee Performing Arts Center

Ohad Naharin, a titan of contemporary dance, brings his powerhouse Tel Aviv–based company to Berkeley for the Bay Area premiere of a daring new work. In the company’s words, “MOMO has two souls. One sends long roots to the depths of the earth—a soul that embodies archetypes and myths of hardened, raw masculinity, and the other is in a constant search for an individual and distinct DNA; one moves within its own autonomous and independent force field and the other is a constellation of elements that spin around the same nucleus—alternately drifting away and towards it, making room for necessary tenderness and catharsis.” Recordings of Laurie Anderson and Kronos Quartet’s Landfall and Philip Glass’ Metamorphosis provide the slow simmering musical backdrop, alongside song/prayer by Venezuelan musician Arca.

Batsheva Dance Company

23 - 24 Mar, 2024