With the arrival of November, the LAC – Lugano Arte e Cultura inaugurates a new and intense season dedicated to the performing arts, offering the public a rich calendar of events ranging from international dance to cult musicals, to original theatre productions.
The season will officially open on Tuesday, November 19th at 8 pm with the São Paulo Dance Company , one of the most prestigious dance groups in the world. For its first time in Lugano, the Brazilian company will present a triptych of contemporary choreographies by three internationally renowned artists: Indigo Rose by Jiří Kylián, Le Chant du Rossignol by Marco Goecke, and I've Changed My Mind by Israeli choreographer Shahar Binyamini.
As artistic director Ines Bogea underlined in an interview with Corriere della Sera , the evening will be a journey “through the changing perspectives of life, from the transitions of youth to the delicate balance between fragility and strength, between the individual and the community.”
Kylián explores the vital energy of youth and the transition to adulthood, while Goecke stages rapid movements that evoke the lightness of flight and the vulnerability of nature. Binyamini, meanwhile, has created a powerful reflection on the themes of identity and transformation for the company.
CATS: a timeless classic on the Lugano stage
From November 25th to 30th , the LAC will host the famous musical CATS , a masterpiece by Andrew Lloyd Webber , also author of The Phantom of the Opera , Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar.
The production, accompanied by a live eight-piece band, combines spectacular choreography, visionary costumes, and captivating music in a performance that will captivate audiences of all ages.
Inspired by T. S. Eliot 's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats , the show has won seven Tony Awards , three Drama Desk Awards , and the Laurence Olivier Award . From its London premiere in 1981 to its worldwide success with over 73 million spectators , CATS is now one of the most performed and beloved musicals of all time.
On the LAC stage, the most iconic feline characters – from the mysterious Mister Mistoffelees to the candid Victoria , to the enigmatic Macavity – will enliven a night of magic and rebirth under the moonlight.
Pinter's Homecoming, according to Popolizio
The theatre season continues on 21 and 22 November with a prominent name on the Italian scene: Massimo Popolizio , who directs and stars in Harold Pinter 's The Homecoming.
The play, written in 1965, remains one of the British playwright's most powerful works and continues to explore distorted family dynamics, power, and psychological violence with undiminished force.
Popolizio, supported by a cast of five actors, offers a sharp and contemporary reading of the text, alternating tension and dark humor in a production that reflects on the fragility of bonds and the quest for dominance within the family unit.
Theater for young people and families
The LAC doesn't forget its younger audiences. On Sunday, November 23rd, at 4 pm, at the Teatro Foce , The Book of All Things , based on the novel by Guus Kuijer , will debut.
The show, presented as part of the LAC edu programme , is a co-production of Teatro Pan, Bam!Bam Teatro and LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura , and tells the story of Thomas , a child who lives between reality and fantasy, seeking refuge in dreams to escape the harshness of the real world.
Combining imagination, courage, and friendship, the play delicately addresses complex issues such as domestic violence and diversity, appealing to audiences ages eight and up.
For information and reservations:
📍 LAC Lugano Art and Culture, Piazza Bernardino Luini 6, 6900 Lugano
📞 +41 (0)58 866 4216
📧 comunicazione@laclugano.ch
🌐 www.laclugano.ch
