Sinnerman @ Oslo Opera House Rooftop

Sinnerman is a solo choreographed by Alan Lucien Øyen and performed by Daniel Proietto, originally premiering in 2014 at London’s Coliseum. The work has since been presented internationally in opera houses and theatres.

This site-specific adaptation was filmed on the rooftop of the Oslo Opera House, designed by Snøhetta, placing the choreography in direct dialogue with architecture, weather, and open space.

Performance Without Walls

On the rooftop, the stage dissolves. Wind, rain, light, and horizon enter the choreography as active elements rather than background conditions. Movement responds in real time to the environment, allowing unpredictability and exposure to shape the performance.

The body is no longer protected by theatre architecture. It stands within the elements, negotiating balance, resistance, and endurance.

Architecture as Condition

Snøhetta’s opera house — conceived as a public landscape rather than a closed monument — becomes an extension of the choreography. The building does not frame the work; it hosts it.

Here, architecture functions as a spatial logic: directing attention, shaping rhythm, and situating the body within the city and its surroundings.

Costume and Visibility

The sequin costume, designed by Stine Sjøgren, interacts with natural light and weather, amplifying presence while exposing fragility. Reflection becomes a visual counterpart to effort, underscoring the tension between visibility and vulnerability that runs through the solo.

Context within Creating Culture

This work forms part of Creating Culture, a Know Nation series that documents encounters between artistic practice, architectural space, and institutional context.

Rather than presenting finished objects, the series attends to how culture is shaped — through conditions, collaboration, and site.

Credits

Choreography & Direction: Alan Lucien Øyen
Performance: Daniel Proietto
Costume design: Stine Sjøgren

Architecture: Snøhetta
Architectural collaborator: Kjetil Trædal Thorsen

Filmed at: Oslo Opera House Rooftop
Music: Sinnerman, performed by Nina Simone