“Amazon Altarpiece”, a call for the preservation of the largest tropical forest in the world

For 10 years a new way of seeing and enjoying the Peruvian cultural heritage has arrived at the Great Theater National (GTN). Created especially to be presented on the first stage in the country, “Retablo” is a show by the National Folkloric Ballet that has evolved over time. At first it showed a varied show from Peru, but later thematic altarpieces were born, such as the National Holidays, the Candelaria or the Afro-Peruvian. The ninth and most recent is “Amazon Altarpiece”, an ambitious staging that opens tomorrow and scenographically replicates the flora and fauna of Amazon. Divided into nine frames, the montage tells short stories about the indigenous worldview, the natural importance of the region, the ancestral traditions of its inhabitants and the customs that they have brought to the city.

“I started to think how the peoples that make up the Amazon would feel on National Holidays. Will they really be proud to be Peruvians? I had that thorn in my side.”

Fabricio Varela / Director of the National Folkloric Ballet of Peru About the neglect that this territory and its inhabitants suffer from the State.

The creator of this new format is the choreographer Fabricio Varela, who says that the project was born during trips to cities like Tarapoto or Moyobamba. “I always felt that we owed a debt to this part of the country. I began to think how the peoples that make up the Amazon would feel on National Holidays. Are they really proud to be Peruvians? I had that thorn in my side, so I decided to do something.” With the idea of ​​publicizing the vastness of Amazonian culture and breaking stereotypes, Varela began an extensive investigation that he managed to transfer to the stage, but two days before the premiere it was suspended due to confinement. Two and a half years later, finally, the gigantic altarpiece will open its magical doors to show viewers the richness of a region that is often forgotten but that is vital for the ecosystem and human beings.

The staging begins with a projection that recreates the origin of the Amazon jungle through brushstrokes and colors from the imagination of the Huitoto painter Rember Yahuarcani. Invaded by natural sounds, the show includes the participation of the Shipibo artist Olinda Silvano, who will sing some icaros or shamanic songs. One of the most outstanding tables is the one called “Deforestation”. “In it we pay homage to the Amazonian leaders who lost their lives defending their land from people who only think about how to get money by destroying nature”, remarks the director of the Folkloric Ballet. Joy comes with celebrations like the yunza and city parties to the rhythm of tropical cumbias.

It is known that the series of altarpieces has been the most successful presentation of the GTN and, according to Varela, the most watched folklore show of all time. “When we just started, people didn’t consume these types of shows in the theater. Our strategy is that culture should reach the viewer without cost. That is why in our format the dances last a maximum of five or six minutes. We work a lot on the theatrical part, the staging, the lights, the projections. You have to captivate the public. The people who come to see us are going to live an experience”, ensures.