Vincent Longuemare (FR / IT)

Vincent works as a lighting designer and set designer for a range of contemporary dance and theatre companies in Europe.
He was born in Dieppe in France and studied theatre in Paris VIII and in Bruxelles at the Institut National Superieur des Arts (INSAS). His early collaborations included projects with a range of directors including Philippe Sireuil, Michel Dezoteux, Jean-claude Berutti and later as assistant director to Robert Altman (The Rake's Progress by Stravinsky in Lille and the film Beyond Therapy and short film All'Opera) and Armand Delcampe and Josef Svoboda.
As a designer he began working with young writers and directors such as Xavier Lukomsky or Leila Nabulsi before dedicating himself to contemporary theatre and dance companies. He worked with Theatre Varia, L'Atelier St- Anne, the company Jose Besprovany and became a regular collaborator with Kunsten Festival of Arts, Bruxelles.
In 1992 he became technical director for the company of Thierry Salmon, also lighting productions for them. Through Salmon he discovered a new way of approaching theatre, not only as production but as a means of education and personal development. In 1996 he moved to Italy and began to work with a range of companies as a lighting designer including Sosta Palmizi, Teatro delle Albe company of Marco Martinelli, Déja Donné company of Simone Sandroni, Teatro Kismet and Marco Baliani.
Many productions for Teatro Kismet include Miles, Hecuba and her Children, The Birds by Aristophanes, Beauty and the Beast which toured extensively internationally for five years and now The Snow Queen. The long collaboration with Teatro Kismet led to a strong association with director Teresa Ludovico, and both were commissioned to create an adaptation of The Snow Queen by Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo, for the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Andersen, which toured Japan in 2005 and again in July 2006 and will be revived for a second tour in July 2006. Projects with Déja Donné and Teatro delle Albe have also included lighting productions for international tours.
More recently Vincent has also been commissioned to light architectural projects in Italy including the Convento Barocco of Melpignano and Gardens.
He also designs light and set for operas, collaborating with directors like Mietta Corli, Daniele Abbaddo and Cristina Muti opening this year Ravenna Festival program with " la Traviata" entirely designed by him.
At the same time Vincent is active in the education sector, teaching lighting design in Milan and leading courses and workshops organised by ETI, developing its own pedagogy: "The Light School" recently fully tested in Naples and now in Ravenna as well as writing several articles on poetic and dramatic use of light.
Vincent was awarded this year the "PREMIO UBU SPECIALE FOR LIGHT DESIGN" first ever award accorded in Italy for a light designer with this very specific mention: "for having created this last ten years lighting designs through and with the spirit of a set designer and in a deep organic whole with director's work".
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