Creating Culture: The Intersection of Performance, Architecture and Mastery

A stage without walls, where movement meets the elements. A dancer navigating wind, rain, and space, transforming nature itself into choreography. Welcome to Sinnerman—a groundbreaking solo performed by Daniel Proietto and choreographed by Alan Lucien Øyen, originally premiering in 2014 at London’s Coliseum and captivating audiences worldwide. Now reimagined for the iconic Snøhetta rooftop of the Oslo Opera House, this outdoor adaptation deepens its themes of resilience and humanity’s relationship with nature.

As the inaugural feature in KNOW NATION’s Creating Culture series, Sinnerman examines how artistic disciplines—dance, architecture, masterful performance and design—intersect to shape cultural narratives. This series highlights opera houses as institutions of legacy, artists as visionaries and architecture as a silent choreographer, shaping how stories unfold in space.

A Vision in Motion

The Snøhetta rooftop becomes a living stage, where movement converses with the elements, and architecture becomes an unspoken partner in the dance.
Oslo’s skyline and panoramic views serve as an evocative backdrop, amplifying Sinnerman’s emotional depth.
Alan Lucien Øyen’s choreography responds to the raw elements—wind, rain, shifting light—transforming them into metaphors of endurance, adversity, and transcendence.

Visual Symbolism

Proietto’s shimmering sequin catsuit embodies both modern ambition and human fragility.
As it catches natural light, it reflects the tension between materialism and human vulnerability, mirroring the solo’s explosive physicality and deep emotional undertones.
This visual interplay reinforces Sinnerman’s message: in the face of impermanence, we dance.

KNOW NATION: Shaping the Future of Cultural Experiences

Sinnerman is more than a performance—it is KNOW NATION’s vision for the future of interdisciplinary art.
As part of our Creating Culture initiative, this production stands at the intersection of dance, architecture, and digital storytelling, pushing the boundaries of performance into new realms.
Through Creating Culture, KNOW NATION explores how cultural institutions, master artists, and visionary architects influence the way we experience and interpret art.
Sinnerman is the first in a series that examines the art of making culture—where different disciplines interject and inspire one another, resulting in transformative artistic experiences.

Bringing Sinnerman to Life on the Oslo Opera House Rooftop

Alan Lucien Øyen – Director and Choreographer
A master of dance-theater, Alan transforms the rooftop into a canvas for resilience and expression.

Daniel Proietto – Director and Lead Performer
With his electrifying stage presence, Daniel delivers a performance that is both visceral and ethereal, embodying the tension of Sinnerman’s themes.

Stine Sjøgren – Costume Designer
The sequin catsuit is an iconic element, symbolizing transformation and human fragility under nature’s gaze.

Kjetil Thorsen – Architectural Collaborator, Founder of Snøhetta
Snøhetta’s visionary design transforms the rooftop into a living, breathing performance space, reinforcing the symbiosis of movement and environment.

Behind-the-Scenes & Special Features

Creativity in Action
Alan Lucien Øyen shares his process, discussing how dance, theater, and real-world elements create immersive storytelling.

Masterclass: High-Performance Coaching with Daniel Proietto
A rare glimpse into the technical and emotional preparation behind Sinnerman.

Architecture Meets Performance
Snøhetta Founder Kjetil Thorsen explores how architecture shapes cultural narratives and sensory experiences.

Be Part of KNOW NATION’s Movement to Redefine Cultural Experiences

As part of KNOW NATION’s Creating Culture series, Sinnerman marks a new frontier in how performance, space, and digital media converge.
This is more than a performance—it is a cultural statement, a call to rethink how we experience art.
KNOW NATION invites cultural institutions, partners, and audiences to be part of this evolving conversation.

A Legacy in Motion

Filmed during Oslo’s 400-year anniversary, Sinnerman stands as a testament to humanity’s evolving relationship with space, time, and nature—a convergence of the fleeting and the enduring.
It is a statement on how history and innovation meet on stage, shaping the way we engage with performance in the modern world.

As KNOW NATION’s foundational production within the Creating Culture initiative, Sinnerman sets the stage for a new era in interdisciplinary artistic experiences.

KNOW NATION is not just capturing culture—it is redefining it. Sinnerman is just the beginning of a movement that transforms how we experience art, architecture, and performance.

Press Highlights

“Roars for Proietto, camouflaged in sequins, glittering in the dark like the world’s population of fireflies, and roaring tremendously through Sinnerman, a ferociously demanding solo by Alan Lucien Øyen.”
— Clement Crisp, Financial Times

“Daniel Proietto stole the show…dressed top to toe in a sequin onesie, worthy of Michael Jackson, and dancing a spectacular solo act to Nina Simone, received with rapturous encores.”
— Sacha Bonsor, Harper’s Bazaar

“Daniel Proietto danced like a demon in the spiraling exuberance of Sinnerman, with choreography by Alan Lucien Øyen and a costume so sparkly it could have been a light show.”
— Debra Crane, The Times