phantom bands
November 2025 - April 2026
Rama Gottfried schliesst sich in «phantom bands» mit dem latenz ensemble zusammen und erschafft neue, nicht-menschliche Musiktheater-Ökosysteme. Diese werden von Kreaturen bewohnt, welche in vagen punkigen und zugleich fliessend raffinierten technischen Subkulturen erscheinen und agieren. Zwischen Objekttheater und Live-Kino verortet, verwandelt sich das Ensemble ständig, physisch wie klanglich, und verkörpert Wesen, die mit hybriden, digital-akustischen Stimmen sprechen. Eine Vielzahl von Klängen, Puppenspiel, Videos und instrumentalen Materialien verwebt mehrere von Gottfrieds animistisch-ökologisch geprägten Stücken: das Computer-Vision-Puppenspiel «Scenes from the Plastisphere», live-foley-Ausschnitte aus «Onotopoiesis» sowie die Uraufführung von «phantom bands», komponiert für das latenz ensemble. Die Performance versteht sich als experimentelle Methode der nicht-menschlichen Charakterbeziehung. Das Publikum tritt dabei in eine neue Gesellschaft mit anderen Lebensformen, Kontexten und Umgebungen ein, die sich endlos in neue Möglichkeiten von Form und Erfahrung entfalten.
dis / / connect\\ed
October 13th, 18th – 20th 2024
Connection is hard to find. Differences in language, culture, and background prevent us from finding deeper understanding
of others. In dis//connect\\ed, the challenge of overcoming our modern isolation formed the basis of the performance.
Composer Chloé Bieri created a series of short “services” for imaginary telephonists captured the monotony, the hustle and bustle, and the loneliness of the modern workplace.
The ensemble sought unity in a complex, semi-improvised work by Sérgio Rodrigo that mixed live electronics with instrumental playing.
An immersive light design by Rosa Wernecke accompanied all three new compositions to connect the disparate and unique sound worlds of the composers.
A minimalistic, meditative soundscape by Annie Aries enveloped the audience, with a series of four mobile loudspeakers causing small shifts in the acoustic experience.
trans:formation
April 20th – 22nd 2024
The space around the audience constantly evolved into a visual and sonic soundscape in trans:formation. The line between pieces became blurred with performative “transfomations” crafted by the muscians to mesh one work into the next. The ensemble became a statue and sound installation while the cello transformed into a communal instrument for the ensemble. The line between improvised and written music was broken down, the innerworkings of the accordion transformed into a highlight of hidden mechanical wonder. And a silent film from Len Lye evolved with a new soundtrack to accompany it.
(ver)graben
June 10th – 12nd 2022
(ver)graben turned the Zivilschutzbunker Sonnenberg into a unique installation-performance that traversed the long, tubular bunker entrance, the school, prison, and stairwells all the way down to the lowest corners of the machine room five floors down. The concrete walls, unnatural light, creepy lime green paint, maze-like design, and the constant hum of ventilation systems made for an eerie and inescapable performance that showcased the Swiss bunker’s history and tackled tough thematic topics like police brutality, state surveillance, migration and nuclear annihilation.
