Enchanting operas sung by sheep and alpacas
They allow you to escape reality, at least for a few minutes. They amaze anyone who sees them. They make people laugh or inspire deep emotions. Street performers are an integral part of a vibrant city, constantly reminding us of the beauty in each moment.
It is Saturday morning. Merano’s city centre is bustling with activity. Professionals on their phones are meandering between families, people with shopping bags and tourists. Then, suddenly, a crowd of people forms in the centre of the arcades. It is as if the concept of space and time is being suspended in this moment. A figure in a suit is standing atop a pedestal, as rigid as a statue. One of the children goes up to him and throws a coin into the mime’s hat, causing him to immediately start moving. After a few more seconds, however, he is motionless again while striking a different pose. You can see curiosity, anticipation and enthusiasm on the spectator’s faces. The pantomime artist Jordi Beltramo is probably the spa town’s best-known street performer and is as much a part of the cityscape as the Kurhaus building.
“The streets are harsh and merciless,” Jordi says with a smile, which nonetheless reflects the seriousness of this statement. “You only have a few seconds to convince pedestrians to stay and, ideally, even throw some money in your hat. In contrast to the theatre, where the audience already has an intention to attend and has bought a ticket, you have to earn the applause on the streets every single time.” Nonetheless, his love of the cold cobbles has endured for decades and given the 46-year-old an international career.
From the Ramblas in Barcelona all the way to Iran
Jordi set off from his hometown of Cuneo in Piedmont to travel to Barcelona at the age of 18 – by hitchhiking. “My parents thought it was just a phase,” Jordi says and laughs. “After starting out as a busker in Barcelona, I once travelled to Formentera, where a director ‘discovered’ me and filmed me during a performance. I soon ended up on TV and from then on, interest in me grew steadily.” The jack-of-all-trades realised at an early age that this form of art was not just a hobby, but a vocation to him. Statue, mime and clown are just a few of the characters that are part of his street repertoire. He has already travelled to countries such as Russia, Colombia and Iran in these roles. The latter experience is probably one of the most formative of his career. “When I received an invitation from the Iranian Ministry of Culture, I was quite surprised. I didn’t know that there even was such a thing as street performances there.” Jordi spent a week travelling around the north-western province of Kurdistan. It was a short but intense time packed with emotion. “My personal highlight was the last day. I had a huge audience in front of me on an enormous square. People laughed out loud and joined in for an hour, from the first minute to the last. In the end, I had personal security escorting me to the taxi because everyone wanted to get my autograph and take pictures.”
Experiences such as these provide a great contrast to his home town of Merano, where street performance is honoured to a rather modest extent. People there hardly have any time to devote a few minutes to entertainment, because they are too stressed. An active dialogue between performers, the city and local businesses is another important point to consider. “It’s a very fine line,” says Jordi, who also serves as artistic director of the annual street performer event “Asfaltart”. “On one hand, you want a lively city, but on the other, things are very strictly regulated to prevent it from becoming too lively. There are rigid rules that you have to adhere to. Free play turns into a planned performance involving a lot of bureaucracy. It’s a huge setback for people who thrive on their spontaneity and creativity.”
Each and every puppet has its own story
“When the weather is nice and there are lots of people on the street, you can’t just decide to stand in the designated places and sing,” Daniele Tommasi confirms. He is a theatre actor and ventriloquist, or rather belly singer. He regularly books coveted street artist spots around the city with his hand puppet – Alpaca Elvin – and performs lyrical classics such as Mozart’s “The Marriage of Figaro”. A genre of music that many (especially young) people are unfamiliar with these days. The journey from the theatre stage to the streets is a rather unusual one. Yet it is precisely the unknown that makes this artistic endeavour so appealing to him. For Daniele, it is by no means within his comfort zone. “If it wasn’t for Elvin, it would be very difficult for me to start singing. But that’s the interesting or maybe even paradoxical thing: you want to perform, but simultaneously you want to hide behind a little hand puppet. Elvin has a character of his own and some of my hidden characteristics and traits. These are brought to life during the performance. It’s as if a greater energy takes over and then Elvin and I improvise together.” Naimana Casanova, Daniele’s partner, also lives out her hidden personality traits through her hand puppet, Belinda, a cute little sheep which sometimes likes to take centre stage. “She’s a little prima donna,” Naimana says and laughs. “She likes to joke around, occasionally interrupts me and loves to baffle the audience.”
Besides the technical vocal skills, it’s the hand movements and the communication with the puppet itself that make belly singing a true form of art. “The puppet’s facial expressions are a crucial part of the performance, as they should be both slightly exaggerated and absolutely coherent with the sounds that the puppeteer makes,” Daniele explains. “Furthermore, the reaction of the puppeteer is just as important as the puppet’s own behaviour,” adds Naimana. “You speak for the puppet and at the same time act as if you are actively listening and reacting to it. There are innumerable trains of thought, facial expressions and gestures that come together in a single moment. It really is a unique form of art.”
From the streets of Merano to the major talent shows
Daniele and Naimana do not only complement each other on a personal level, but also on an artistic one. As a professional ventriloquist, Daniele gives Naimana valuable tips on how to give the perfect performance. In turn, she supports him with her many years of vocal training. They are a very talented couple. Thus, together they not only win the hearts of people in the streets, they also conquer the big European venues. Most recently, the pair appeared on a well-known TV programme called “Das Supertalent” (sort of Germany’s version of X-Factor), in which they also won over the jury. Although the big stage has its own appeal, it is always the simple street encounters that are the most significant.
“The thing that touches me the most,” says Naimana with a sparkle in her eyes, “are the moments in which I manage to create a brief and intense connection with the audience. In this context, the music serves as a connecting element that sets emotions in motion. I still remember an encounter with an elderly lady just a few days after the death of my beloved grandmother. This lady very strongly reminded me of her. After my performance, she came to me with tears in her eyes and said that I reminded her of her daughter, whom she had lost far too early and was about my age. It was a very precious emotional moment for both of us, made possible by my street performance.”
Asphalt-Art
These unique experiences on the road are also what Jordi Beltramo lives for. “When a person laughs from the bottom of their heart as a result of your performance, or is moved to tears, or when a crowd of people collectively cheers and creates a shared sense of joy… That is an indescribable feeling.” When Asfaltart was founded 18 years ago, it was a small dream come true. The aim was to create an event that would offer as many street performers as possible their own opportunity. Over the course of three days, everything in the city of Merano completely revolves around acrobatics, music, clownery and magic. What began as a small festival for circus enthusiasts soon became one of the most important events of its kind in Italy. “It’s a great opportunity for artists to be seen by a large audience. As a positive side effect, a whole tourism industry has developed around Asfaltart,” says Jordi. He and his team now process around 500 applications from Italy and abroad every year. “And, best of all, it has played a major role in boosting the popularity of street performances and has motivated many up-and-coming talents to pursue their dream.”
