Ariana Lallone and Tobias Larsson in Dinner At Wotan's
Courtesy of Teatro ZinZanni
He’s back at Teatro ZinZanni for Dinner At Wotan’s, a decidedly different look at Norse king of the gods than the upcoming Ring at Seattle Opera this summer. Larsson began choreographing shows for ZinZanni in San Francisco and Seattle in 2009. He worked with dance legend Tommy Tune to co-choreograph Bonsoir Liliane! here in 2011.
His latest dinner show at ZinZanni mixes up Wagner’s music with modern rock classics and brings together performers from a multitude of disciplines, including Swedish singer Anki Albertsson, former Pacific Northwest Ballet principal dancer Ariana Lallone, aeralist Christopher Phi, clown Geoff Hoyle, American lyric soprano Kristin Clayton, and many more.
Here's his answers to a few questions about this current mash-up of myths under the spiegeltent. Dinner At Wotan’s plays through May 12 at Teatro ZinZanni on lower Queen Anne, across the street from the Seattle Center.
Seattle has a long history with the myths of Valhalla, from Seattle Opera's dedication to Wagner's Ring to the Nordic heritage of Ballard. What inspired this take?
The idea for this show was born in a show we did in San Francisco called License to Kiss II. I played a Swedish character called Sven and his biggest dream was to open a Valhalla casino. We used that as theme for the finale number and liked it so much that we now based an entire production on that theme. And of course it's a homage to all the Scandinavians that have moved to this region. People are always happy to share stories about their Swedish relatives when they find out that I am Swedish.
Your career began with training at the Academy of Ballet in Sweden. Has that helped you as a creator of ZinZanni shows?
My training at the Academy of Ballet was angled towards musical theater. Besides different dance styles, we were also trained in singing and acting. That prepared me for a versatile career. Also the experience I've had in circus, cabaret, and theater up till this point has helped me get to where I am today, both as a director/choreographer and performer.
How did the music of Queen become mixed up with Wotan and family?
Queen's music is so grand and epic that it felt like a perfect match for a show based on Norse gods and the ring cycle. It gave a twist to the classical elements of Wagner and Stravinsky.
Who do you think is really going to surprise the audience in this show?
Seattle has its very own famous and accomplished prima ballerina, and I believe many people (including myself) will be in total awe when they see the act she is performing in this show. I am of course talking about Ariana Lallone.
Lallone said that Bonsoir Liliane! came together very quickly, but then let her evolve her character over a long run, a process quite different from the ballet. As a creator, what are the biggest challenges in getting a show up and running at ZinZanni?
As a creator, one of the biggest challenges is the limited rehearsal time. To rehearse a show like this in ten days requires a lot of preparation, an open mind, and an incredibly talented cast!
As a performer in the show, how do you keep it feeling fresh for several months?
The audience plays such a big part in these shows and since they are different each night, it keeps the show interesting. It's like having a new cast member and like falling in love all over again each night. Plus, we often tweak little things, change scenes or try to find even better jokes. It's a constant progress.