Journées Contemporaines Basel

Theater Basel, Switzerland

With the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation one weekend in October 2012 will see the holding in Basel of the festival Journées Contemporaines Basel with a focus on new musical theater. At Theater Basel and the playhouse Schauspielhaus Basel three contemporary works will be performed. These will be supplemented by concerts presenting New Music at various venues around the city. 

On October 20th 2012 the work “Der Sandmann” will be performed for the first time under the guidance of renowned director Christof Loy. After motifs from E.T.A. Hoffmann’s story of the same name Thomas Jonigk (*1966) wrote the libretto and, assisted by the music of Andrea Scartazzini (*1971), carries the audience away into the world of dreams and waking, of appearances and reality.

Another piece of New Music, “Im Bau – Ins Licht” (working title), will be performed by the renowned contemporary music ensemble aequatuor. In close collaboration with the Swiss composers Michel Roth and Alfred Zimmerlin as well as director Georges Delnon they develop a work that brings to life in sound the contrasts of inside and out, dark and light as well as above and below.

“Java suite” is a chamber opera with a libretto written by dramatist Marc Rosich. Together with the composer Agusti Charles he uses a love triangle between a mature woman, a mature man and a young attractive man to illustrate the complex power balance between the First and the Third World. The work is staged by director Rita Cosentino while musical direction comes care of Nacho de Paz.

Saturday, October 20th 2012 (8.00 pm) Große Bühne: Premiere of “Der Sandmann”
Sunday, October 21st 2012 (11.00 am) Foyer Große Bühne: “Im Bau – Ins Licht”
Sunday, October 21st 2012 (7.00 pm) Schauspielhaus: “Java suite”
Monday, October 22nd 2012 (8.00 pm) Schauspielhaus: “Java suite”
Tuesday, October 23rd 2012 (8.00 pm) Foyer Große Bühne: “Im Bau – Ins Licht”

Further Information:
www.theater-basel.ch