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PRESS KIT PRODUCCIONES YLLANA c/ Madera 29. 28004 Madrid. SPAIN T. +34 91 523 33 01 F. +34 91 523 33 09 PAGAGNINI

SYNOPSIS

PRODUCCIONES YLLANA and ARA MALIKIAN present PAGAGNINI, an innovative, non-text musical show that brings to life some of the most treasured musical pieces in the World in the key of comedy. Throughout the show, the virtuoso violinist Ara Malikian along with three more musicians not only perform some of the greatest compositions of geniuses at the level of Mozart, Pachalbel, Chopin, Boccherini, Falla, Sarasate and of course, Paganini, but also involve popular genres such as rock or folk. But PAGAGNINI is anything but just a concert. The musicians play, dance, jump, laugh, cry, interact and with the audience converting the show into an original comedy where the violin and the cello transform themselves spontaneously into new and original instruments (guitars, mandolins, percussions…).

Paganini’s own genius was a special referente during the creation of the show, not only the title. His complex compositions, rash personality and amazingly talented interpretations reflect the spirit of PAGAGNINI.

As well, a handfull of memorable moments provide us with a new vision of the so called “classic contemporary music” of our days such as U2 or the Frenchman Serge Gainsbourg.

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Producers: YLLANA, ARA MALIKIAN Director: YLLANA Artistic Directors: DAVID OTTONE, JUAN FRANCISCO RAMOS Musical Director: ARA MALIKIAN Assistant Director: RAMÓN SÁEZ Musical arrangements: ARA MALIKIAN, THOMAS POTIRON, EDUARDO ORTEGA, GARTXOT ORTIZ Musicians: ARA MALIKIAN, EDUARDO ORTEGA, GARTXOT ORTIZ, FERNANDO CLEMENTE Set Designer: ANA GARAY Lighting Designers: DIEGO DOMÍNGUEZ / JUANJO LLORENS Sound Designers: LUIS LÓPEZ DE SEGOVIA / JORGE MORENO "MILKY" Luthier: FERNANDO MUÑOZ Choreographer: CARLOS CHAMORRO Magic effects consultant: WILLY MONROE Costume Designer: MARIBEL RODRÍGUEZ Voice-Over: MABEL CAÍNZOS Voice-Over Text: RAMÓN SÁEZ Production manager: MABEL CAÍNZOS Production Assistant: FRAN ALVAREZ Technical Directors: ISMAEL GARCÍA, DIEGO DOMÍNGUEZ Press: ROSA ARROYO Thanks to: TEATRO MERIDIONAL, LEO BASSI, TOUCH-ME

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ABOUT YLLANA

Yllana embodies creativity. Founded in 1991, the Company has grown and evolved over the years until it can today cover all facets of the wide world of entertainment. Whether it’s a new hit show playing to packed houses full of loyal fans at their Madrid theatre the Teatro Alfil; a touring company thrilling audiences with one of their classic shows at a major arts center in a cultural capital; or a one night industrial show wowing Volkswagen executives at their 50th anniversary -- Yllana has it all covered. Yllana is first and foremost an artists' collective dedicated to the production, distribution and promotion of unique theatrical events. Its ethos is centered in mime and physical humor, that most universal form of expressing the human comedy that forms the essence and core of the theatrical experience. By dispensing with dialogue to reach the heart of Theatre, Yllana has been able to thrill and amuse audiences across the world. After 19 successful years of existence, Yllana is now a consolidated Company in the arts sector, yet unique in that it is still totally run by the Artists. It is not a Company that employs Artists to further its commercial ends, but rather a collective of Artists that employs a Company to bring their (and fellow artists’) work to many audiences worldwide. That is why Yllana still embodies creativity. Yllana was born in 1991 as a physical comedy theatre company. Through gestures, sounds and genuine slapstick, Yllana creates its work out of the most common situations of everyday life, combining huge energy with wit and risk.

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It exploits an irreverent sense of humor, ironic and interactive, producing the most spontaneous of laughs in the audience. Yllana finds in the onomatopoeic sounds and in gesture its natural form of expression, thus creating a surreal and delirious world where anything can happen. From the first encounter of Yllana with the stage, it has produced sixteen shows: ¡Muu! (1991), Glub Glub (1994), 666 (1998), Hipo (1999), Rock & Clown (2000), Spingo (2001), Splash! (2002), Star Trip (2003), The Best Sketches of Monty Python (2004), Olimplaff (2004), The Bald Prima Donna (2005), Buuu (2006), Pagagnini (2007), Musicall (2007), Brokers (2008) and Zoo 2009). These productions have been presented in 33 countries to over a million spectators. The universal understanding of Yllana’s physical humor has allowed them to travel across the world to: Portugal, France, Greece, United Kingdom, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, Italy, , Austria, Slovakia, Turkey, Jordan, Morocco, Singapore, Canada, Mozambique, Brazil, Denmark, Argentina, Georgia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, Japan, China, Israel, Senegal, Andorra, Korea, United States and Norway. The productions have formed part of some of the most prestigious theatre festivals such as The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The International Theatre Festival in Istanbul (Turkey), Juste Pour Rire Festival in Montreal (Canada), Ete de Quebec festival (Canada), Arts Festival in Singapore, Festival de Manizales (Colombia), European Theatre Festival of Grenoble (France), Mime Festival of Perigeux (France), and theatre seasons in Madrid (24 months with 666), Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Lola Membrives Theatre (Buenos Aires), Riverside Studios (), Vitoria Theatre (Roma) and La Cigalle (París).

More info: www.yllana.com

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AWARDS •“Courge D’Or” (Best in festival) Award at the International Theater Festival in Toulouse (France). MUU. 1995 • 2nd Prize United Slapstick at the European Comedy Festival in Frankfurt (Germany). Glub-Glub.1995 • Audience Favorite Award at the International Fall Theatre Festival (FIOT) in Carballo (Spain). Glub Glub. 1997 • Audience Favorite Award at the International Fall Theatre Festival (FIOT) in Carballo (Spain). Rock & Clown . 2001 • Best in Festival Award, plus a Special Award for Theatrical Creativity and Originality in the International Laughter Festival. Casablanca (Morocco). Splash. 2004 • Best Theatrical Idea and Creativity Special Award. International Comedy Festival. Casablanca (Morocco). YLLANA. 2004 • Public Award. Autumn International Theater Festival (FIOT). Carballo (Spain). Star Trip. 2004 • Theater Initiative Award. “Telón de Chivas” Performing Arts Awards. Spain. YLLANA. 2004 • Special Moerser Comedy Award to the Company for its creativity in the field at the International Comedy Festival in Moers (Germany). YLLANA. 2005 • Best show in festival at the Theater Festival in Fundao (Portugal). Olimplaff. 2006 • Audience Favorite Award at the Theater Festival in Chiclana (Spain). Olimplaff. 2007 • Career´s Recognition Award. Alfaro’s Theater Festival. Alfaro (Spain). YLLANA. 2008 • Award to the Best Show at The Fringe (out of over 1,300 shows), Edinburgh (United Kingdom). Pagagnini. 2008 • “Antero Guardia” Theater National Award. Úbeda (Spain). YLLANA.2008 • Audience Favorite Award at the Theater Festival. Chiclana (Spain). Pagagnini. 2008

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• Audience Favorite Award at the International Fall Theatre Festival (FIOT) in Carballo (Spain). Brokers. 2008 • Audience Favorite Award at the International Street Theater Festival in Badajoz (Spain). Brokers. 2008 • Audience Favorite Award. 11ª Santa Eugènia Theater Festival. Santa Eugènia (Spain) Brokers. 2009 • Moerser Comedy Prize at the International Comedy Arts Festival. Moers (Germany). Pagagnini. 2009 • Award to the Outstanding Unique Theatrical Event at the New York International Fringe Festival. New York (USA). 666. 2009 • Best Musical Show Award. Teatro Rojas, Toledo (Spain). Pagagnini. 2009 • Audience Favorite Award at the Theater Festival. Chiclana, Cádiz (Spain). Brokers. 2009 • Best Children´s Performance MAX AWARDS. ZOO . 2010.

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ARA MALIKIAN is undoubtedly one of the most brilliant and expressive violinists of his generation. In possession of a personal style, forged from his own origins and rich musical experience, his artistic voice has emerged as an original and innovative presence on the world and musical scene.

Born in Lebanon in 1968 to an Armenian family, Ara Malikian began studying the violin at a very early age with his father. His talent was recognized and nurtured despite the difficulties encountered because of the war, forcing him to study during long periods of time in air-raid shelters. He gave his first serious concert at the age of 12 and when he was 14, he obtained a scholarship from the German Culture Ministry to study at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover. At 15, he was the youngest pupil to be admitted in this prestigious centre. He later furthered his studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London and studied with renowned professors such as Franco Gulli, , , Herman Krebbers and members of the Alban Berg Quartet. An undiminishing musical and human restlessness have led Ara to deepen his relationship with his own Armenian roots and to assimilate music of other cultures, like those of the Middle East (Arab and Jewish), Central Europe (Gypsy and Klezmer), Argentina (Tango) and Spain (Flamenco). All this is achieved within a personal language in which the rhythmic and emotional strength of these types of music go hand in hand with the virtuosity and expressiveness of the great European classical tradition. With a wide-ranging repertoire that includes a majority of the important pieces written for violin (concertos with orchestra, sonatas and pieces with piano and chamber music), he has also premiered works by modern composers such as Franco Danatoni, Malcolm Lipkin, Luciano Chailly, Ladislav Kupkovich, , Lawrence Roman and Yervand Yernakian. Malikian is also one of the few violinists who plays recitals for solo violin with programs featuring complete cycles of such as the 24 Paganini Caprices, the 6 sonatas of Eugene Ysaÿe and the sonatas and partitas of Bach.

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Malikian has been recognized in may competitions of worldwide reputation, including first prizes at the International Competitions “Felix Mendelssohn” (1987, Berlin, Germany) and “Pablo Sarasate” (1995, Pamplona, Spain). In addition, “Zino Francescatti”(Marseille, France), “Rodolfo Lipizer” (Gorizia, Italy), Jeunesses Musicales” (Belgrade, Serbia), “Rameau” (Le Mans, France), “International Artists Guild” (New York, USA) and the “International Music Competition of Japan”. In 1993 he received the “Prize for Artistic Devotion and Achievement” from the German Ministry of Culture. Malikian has performed in the most important concert halls of the world in more than 40 countries on five continents: New York (Carnegie Hall), Paris (Salle Pleyel), Vienna (Musikverein), Toronto (Ford Centre), Madrid (Auditorio Nacional and ), Venice, Los Angeles, Taipei, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Cuba, Barcelona, Bilbao and many more. He has also participated in festivals at Aspen, Colamar, Prades, Schleswig-Holstein, Braunschweig, San Sebastian, Segovia, Bergen, Freden, Metlach and Prague. Malikian has worked with figures such as Joaquín Cortés and Belén Maya, film composers such as Pascal Gainge and Alberto Iglesias with whom he recorded the soundtrack for “Talk to her”, the Academy Award winning movie by Pedro Almodóvar. Ara currently resides in Madrid, for more information please visit his official website at WWW.ARAMALIKIAN.COM.

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PAGAGNINI– PRESS QUOTES

“PAgagNINI IS NOT A SHOW TO LIKE, IT IS A SHOW TO LOVE” THE GAZETTE, Montreal

“A HILARIOUS PARODY OF A CLASSICAL RECITAL, PUTTING ALL CROWDS INTO A JUBILANT APROAR” EL PAÍS

“A FASCINATING SHOW THAT EXITES CROWDS AND PROVOKES END-LESS CHEERING AND LAUGHTER. THIS IS PURE THEATRE” ABC

“AN UNFORGETTABLE SHOW, FUN LIKE FEW OTHERS AND SMART” “THESE PERFORMERS JOIN THEIR VIRTOUS MUSICAL TALENT AND THE ABILITY TO LAUGH AT THEMSELVES AND THEIR TRADE” LA RAZÓN

“THIS QUARTET AMAZES US WITH THEIR ABILITY OF COMBINING AN OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE WITH HUMOUR, FULL OF WELL THOUGHT OUT GAGS” EL PERIODICO de CATALUÑA

“AN OVERWHELMING SHOW, A BRILLIANT RACKET YET VERY WELL EXECUTED. A SPECTACLE OF HIGH VOLTAGE HUMOUR AND EXTREMELY CONTAGIOUS” LA VANGUARDIA

“PAgagNINI IS A HILARIOUS PIECE OF MUSICAL SATIRE, PROVIDING A FRESH TAKE ON A TYPICAL PERFORMANCE GIVEN BY A CLASSICAL STRING QUARTET (…)PAgagNINI IS A HIGHLY AMUSING SHOW, APPEALING TO AN AUDIENCE OF ALL AGES AND BACKGROUNDS” THE HERALD, Edinburgh

“FLAWLESS CHOREOGRAPHY MEANS THE SHOW RUNS LIKE A SWISS WATCH” THE LIST, Edinburgh

“*...+THIS IS INCREDIBLY SLICK AND IMPOSSIBLY FUNNY [...] WHOEVER SAID CLASSICAL MUSIC WAS BORING?” THREE WEEKS DAILY, Edinburgh The Editors’ Awards Winner (Fringe Festival)

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PAGAGNINI– PRESS QUOTES 10.01.2008

10.9.2007 Santiago Fondevila La Vanguardia “WHAT WAS MISSING IN OTHER SHOWS, HIGH STANDARDS, IS WHAT THERE IS IN PAGAGNINI” “SIMPLY GREAT!”

La Razón “AN UNFORGETTABLE SHOW, FUN LIKE FEW OTHERS AND SMART” “THESE PERFORMERS JOIN THEIR VIRTOUS MUSICAL TALENT AND THE ABILITY TO LAUGH AT THEMSELVES AND THEIR TRADE”

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WHAT THE PRESS SAYS:

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July 2009

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BEST PERFORMANCE AWARD AT THE FRINGE FESTIVAL 2008 by the THREEWEEKS Newspaper

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