Franui:
Schau lange in den dunklen Himmel

Ghost variations for actors, singers and musicbanda
Music theatre after Robert Schumann and Robert Walser

Schau lange in den dunklen Himmel – a lieder recital with theatrical components by and starring eastern Tyrolean Musicbanda Franui, baritone Otto Katzameier and actor Daniel Christensen – is an homage to Robert Schumann.

The Geister-Variationen, his final work before being admitted to a psychiatric clinic, makes up the musical substance of the evening along with other musical sleep and dream works. The abysmal realm of unlived dreams, longings and hopes – between delirium and reality, melancholy and humour, tragedy and comedy – is explored in association with texts by Swiss poet Robert Walser who shares a similar style, Viennese Heinz Janisch, Emil Cioran, and others.

Musicbanda Franui performs with utmost virtuosity on the instruments of the Festtagskapelle of its native village, hammer dulcimer and zither joining the choir of wind instruments. Their music is rooted in the musical ceremonies of the obsequies, whereby the heavy rhythms of the funeral march accompany the parting and at the same time sustain the unbroken passions and flowing joie de vivre. The instrumental performance of the Alpine Banda, its musically lively interpretations of Schubert, Brahms and Mahler songs is as melancholy as it is beguilingly beautiful.

Composition, musical adaptation Andreas Schett, Markus Kraler (Franui) Texts Robert Walser, Robert Schumann, Heinz Janisch Song texts Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Friedrich Hebbel, Heinrich Heine MUSIC Musicbanda Franui BARITONE Otto Katzameier ACTING Daniel Christensen DIRECTOR Corinna von Rad CONDUCTOR Andreas Schett STAGE DESIGN Ralf Käselau COSTUME DESIGN Sabine Blickenstorfer DRAMATURGY Bettina Auer, Andri Hardmeier

A production of KunstFestSpiele Herrenhausen and Theater Basel. With the support of Réseau Varèse – European Network for the Creation and Promotion of New Music (funded by the culture programme of the European Commission) and Kunstgärtnerei Doll, Salzburg. In collaboration with SOPHIENSÆLE.