Sound of Music
By Yan Duyvendak with Andrea Cera, Olivier Dubois, Christophe Fiat, and Michael Helland

Bâtie-Festival de Genève at Théâtre Forum Meyrin (Geneva) August 29-September 1, 2015
Festival Actoral at Théâtre du Gymnase (Marseille) September 24-25, 2015
Nanterre-Amandiers (Nanterre) October 2-9, 2015
Le Carré Les Colonnes Festival Novart (Saint-Médard-en-Jalles) October 14-15, 2015
Théâtre de Vidy  (Lausanne) October 27-31, 2015
Teatro Arena del Sole (Bologna) January 7-10, 2016
Le Centquatre (Paris) March 26-28, 2016
Theaterfestival Basel at Kaserne (Basel) August 30-31, 2016
Biennale de Lyon at Théâtre de la Croix-Rousse (Lyon) September 15-17, 2016
La Filature, Scène nationale (Muhouse) September 24, 2016

“A pure nightmare that makes audiences happy.”

Conception and artistic direction: Yan Duyvendak
Creation assistant: Nicolas Cilins
Text: Christophe Fiat
Translation and English adaptation: Martin Striegel
Choreography of All Right Good Night, Floating, Chinese, Rain Dance: Olivier Dubois
Choreographic coach: Cyril Journet
Other choreography: Michael Helland
Music: Andrea Cera
Vocal coach: Sylvie Zahnd
Scenography: Sylvie Kleiber
Lighting: Vincent Millet
Costumes: Nicolas Fleury
Programmation: Thomas Köppel
Performers: Angelika Erlacher, Eveline Gorter, Jan Grossfeld, Johannes Bruessau, Lisandra Bardel, Maria Einfeldt, Mario Saccoccio, Nathalie Parsa, Oliver, Sorina Kiefer, Sven Niemeyer, and Tobias Broenner, with Claire-Marie Ricarte, Fabio Bergamaschi, Jasmine Morand, Krassen Krastev, Lucie Eidenbenz, Margaux Monetti, Oscar Sanchez, Pauline Wassermann, Philippe Chosson, Rudi Van Der Merwe, and the Ballet Junior de Genève

“I observe climate warming and signs of crisis, everywhere around us, and their impact on contemporary Western culture. Public services are being cut back, budgets are slashed, purchasing power and morale are in decline, feelings of guilt weigh heavily even on bright days. We know that we are the musicians on the Titanic, icy waters are already washing around our knees, but we keep on playing because we’ve learnt nothing else and don’t know what else to do. I have the impression that people are less inclined nowadays to see plays, films or performances that force them to think, that remind them of how complex our reality is. Because it requires such an effort. People want spectacular, smoothflowing pieces, with plenty of special effects, something that is easy to consume. People want relief from their unease at least for a couple of hours. I myself don’t want to see any more pieces that hurt. I want virtuosity, beauty, technical fireworks. Performances that moved me in recent times were all of this kind. After the stock exchange crash in 1929, Anglo-Saxon musical comedy experienced a veritable boom. For the above-mentioned reasons. «Kitsch, by its essence, is the absolute negation of shit», says Milan Kundera. And yet… As a teenager, I performed in a cabaret. I loved and still love musical comedies, both on stage and on screen. I love the feelings they evoke, the sweet enchantment, the nauseous sleepiness. And so I want to create and produce one myself. With two, apparently contradictory targets: There is no such thing as shit. A musical comedy that is spectacular, with technical bravado, with a clear storyline and a happy end, with well-shaped bodies and light effects. Because it’s beautiful. Because it does us good. Because, for a short while, we need to be able to let go of our roles as citizens of this world. At the same time, the play should clearly say that being obtuse to what’s going on around us is disastrous. That we mustn’t close our eyes. That thinking about events and taking a stand is eminently important. That art which spotlights things is different from art which leaves us dazzled. So it’s about bringing some light into the bedazzlement in which we normally stagger through the comedies of the world. About showing up our existential fears, which a musical comedy usually placates or ignores. Deeply-held anxieties must seep through from all sides. After all, shit really does exist.” – Yan Duyvendak

Production and management: Nataly Sugnaux Hernandez, Caroline Barneaud
Production: Samuel Antoine, Sylvain Didry
Communication: Ana-Belen Torreblanca
Administration: Marine Magnin
Production Assistant: Tristan Pannatier
Production: Dreams Come True, Genève et Théâtre de Vidy, Lausanne
Co-production: La Bâtie-Festival de Genève, Théâtre Forum Meyrin, Théâtre Nanterre-Amandiers, centre dramatique national, Festival actoral – Marseille, Pour-cent culturel Migros
With the financial support of: 2014 contest winner of Label+ théâtre romand, 2014 contest winner of FEDORA – Van Cleef & Arpels Prize for Ballet, Fondation Meyrinoise du Casino, Fondation Ernst Göhner, Stanley Thomas Johnson Foundation, City and Canton of Geneva, Pro Helvetia – Swiss Arts Council