Georges Aperghis – Zeugen

Verein Zeugen 2021/22, Bern, Switzerland

2007 saw Georges Aperghis set texts by Robert Walser to music for a five-person ensemble, singer and seven hand puppets by Paul Klee. This resulted in the théâtre musical Zeugen. The text brings together loose, short statements by different, not immediately connected people along with three small scenes. In the finest, often ironically Walserian manner, these witnesses of life speak of themselves, of their ideas and stories. "A Woman", "The Enigmatic Guest", "A Widower", "Lady", "Scenery in the Mountains" are some of the titles of these short texts that contain philosophical remarks, everyday vanities, self-descriptions and abysmal reflections. The singing part often also features a speaking part, embodying many of the different voices. The looseness of the textual content is held together on the one hand by Walser's style, yet on the other also by the delicately uneasy, often floating, yet also throbbing music by Georges Aperghis.

To mark the annual meeting of the Robert Walser Society and in connection with Festival Rümlingen, Zeugen will be performed in a new concert production. In this new staging by Andreas Wenger, the performances are made possible by the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation.

September 17, 2021
Krombach Hall Herisau

January 25 and 26, 2022
Auditorium of the Bern University of the Arts

January 27, 2022
Gare du Nord, Basel