Igor Alvarez Cugat, ECHO Ambassador and theater director hailing from Argentina, wholeheartedly champions the LGBTQIA2S+ community through his artistic endeavors.

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His theatrical journey started at the age of twelve, inspired by his great uncle, the composer Xavier Cugat. Since then, he has been consistently creating new plays every year.

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Igor’s artistic approach skillfully combines symbolism, drawing notably from the Catholic Church, with elements of realism and surrealism. Through his work, he delves into profound themes such as religion, family dynamics, and the lasting impact of childhood bullying and marginalization within the LGBTQIA2S+ community.

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In 2018, Igor pursued advanced studies in theater directing in the Amsterdam University of the Arts and successfully graduated four years later. His thought-provoking exploration of mental health and self-esteem within queer and trans communities earned him the prestigious Best of Fringe Award 2023.

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Igor is also developing a performance movement he calls Embodied Voice Theatre, a new term that he is helping to define and articulate. While no formal tradition currently bears this label, his work builds on existing experimental practices such as verbatim theatre, mediated-voice performance, and sound/voice-body experimentation.

 

Through the precise use of lipsync to pre-recorded texts, letters or testimonies, Igor explores the tension between body and disembodied voice, creating a heightened psychological space where identity, memory and queer experience intersect.

 

As one of the early practitioners shaping this emerging technique, he positions Embodied Voice Theatre as a distinct and innovative contribution to contemporary performance.