TEMPO
KALLE NIO
FERANDO MELO
Tempo is a captivating exploration of time—its acceleration, deceleration, and moments when it seems to stand still. At its core is a mundane event turned extraordinary, highlighting life’s fragility through moments of falling, stumbling, and near-accidents.
Directed by visual artist and magician Kalle Nio, with choreography by Fernando Melo and music by Samuli Kosminen, Tempo blends text, movement, and mesmerizing stage illusions where time reverses, gravity vanishes, and the laws of nature dissolve. Dreamlike, wordless scenes alternate with rhythmic compositions for prepared metronomes and Harry Salmenniemi’s poignant text about time’s strange elasticity.
Through magic and movement, Tempo invites audiences to pause, reflect, and truly feel the present moment.
“Lähtö defies explanation in the same way that its performers defy Newtonian physics. The production falls somewhere between circus, magic, visual art and dance – it is physical theatre at its most inventive.”
“Close to the heaven of performing arts. Lähtö must be the most outstanding piece of visual arts, theatre and movement that I have ever seen.”
-
Genre: visual theater, object theater, dance, new magic / circus
Duration: Approx. 60-80 min
Recommended Age: 8+ (intended for adult audiences)
Capacity: 200-700
Stage: Minimum 10m x 10m, height at least 5m. Possibility for static aerial rigging point.
Touring Group: 3 performers, 3 technicians (stage/light/sound) in total, 6 personnel.
-
Concept: Kalle Nio & Harry Salmenniemi
Direction: Kalle Nio
Choreography: Fernando Melo
Script: Harry Salmenniemi
Performers: Barbara Kanc, Winston Reynolds, Luigi Sardone
Music and Sound Design: Samuli Kosminen
Costumes: Georgina Spencer
Light design: Johannes Hallikas
Production: WHS
Co-production: Helsinki Festival, Finland; Lutkovno gledališče Ljubljana, Slovenia; Alfred Kordelin Foundation
-
2024: pre-production/writing/planning, WHS Teatteri Union, Helsinki
January 2025: Rehearsal residency 3 weeks LGL, Ljubljana, Slovenia
Feb-Marc 2025: Preparation work, WHS Teatteri Union, Helsinki
April 2025: Rehearsals 4 week, Finland
July 2025: Final residency, 4 weeks, Teatteri Imatra, Finland
August 21, 2025: PREMIERE, Helsinki Festival, Finnish National Opera
2026 Spring: Slovenian premiere, LGL, Ljubljana, Slovenia
2025 Autumn: available for tour
-
Kalle Nio, director
Kalle Nio (b. 1982) is a stage director, visual artist and magician. He works in the fields of visual theater, experimental film, new magic, contemporary circus and visual arts. Nio's group WHS is one of the most internationally active Finnish performance art groups, with their works performed in over 200 different theatres in more than 40 countries. Nio has received several awards for his work in magic, visual arts, and stage productions. He holds a Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of the Arts Helsinki.
The previous stage productions by Nio have been produced by, among others, Fondation d’entreprise Hermès / New Settings, Théâtre de la Cité internationale Paris, São Luiz Teatro Municipal Lisbon, Helsinki Festival, EMMA - Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Kiasma-Helsinki Museum of Contemporary Art, Kumu Art Museum - Estonia, Oulu Theatre, Trident – Scène Nationale de Cherbourg-Octeville.
www.kallenio.comFernando Melo, choreographer
Brazilian-born Fernando Melo has built his career in Europe as a dancer and choreographer. He often references magic and stage illusions in his works. Melo has choreographed for numerous high-profile dance companies such as GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, Skånes Dansteater, National Dance Company Wales, Introdans (Netherlands), Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz in Munich, Luzerner Theater (Switzerland), Aterballetto (Italy), and Ballet Hispanico New York (U.S.A.). He has also choreographed for opera productions, including recent examples at Vocal Futures in London (U.K.), Théâtre du Capitole in Toulouse (France), Oper Köln (Germany), La Monnaie in Brussels (Belgium), Teatro Comunale di Bologna (Italy), and the Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen (Denmark).
www.fernando-melo.com -
For more information, check availability, please contact Axel Satgé: axel@yelloweverything.com.