Photography by Nathan Dressen

HELLO TO EMPTINESS is a performative reflection on social vulnerability and on how to deal with grief. Based on pre-ancient laments, the Greek moiroloi (μοιρολόγια, engl. “speech about fate”), director and choreographer Stephanie Thiersch and five musicians and dancers develop a poetic space in where ancient laments and traditional rituals are revived and transferred into new contexts. Premiering at the Greek National Opera - Alternative Stage in Athens Greece. Subsequently, European and Korean tours followed.

 

European Tour:

Photography by Martin Rottenkolber

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Martin Rottenkolber

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Nathan Dressen

Photography by Martin Rottenkolber

Photography by Martin Rottenkolber

 

Korean Tour:

Photography by Lee Hankoo

PICTURE A VACUUM is the new episode of our long-term research on grief and social vulnerability. In Korea, the interdisciplinary artistic team from Europe is joined by the extraordinary Korean shaman Hye-Kyung Min, dancer Hyerim Jang and Gyung Moo Kim. The contributing artists combine their knowledge of different cultural techniques, songs and rites to an evening that traces the intimacy, the dialogue and at the same time the communal and unifying of the laments and rituals. Together they approach the question of the existence of a world mourning in a poetic space with dance, ritual, art song and folklore, sounds and electronics. Picture a Vacuum was created in cooperation with SIDance International Dance Festival and ACC/Asia Cultural Center.

Photography by Sang Hoon Ko

Photography by Lee Hankoo

Photography by Sandy Korzekwa

Photography by Sang Hoon Ko

Photography by Sang Hoon Ko

Photography by Sandy Korzekwa

Photography by Sang Hoon Ko

Photography by Lee Hankoo

Photography by Sang Hoon Ko

 

Press Links:

 
 
 

Tour Dates:

16 & 17.04.2022
Greek National Opera – Alternative Stage
Athen, Greece

29 & 30.04.2022
Tanzhaus NRW
Düsseldorf, Deutschland

08 & 09/11/2022
Théâtre de Nîmes
Nîmes, Frankreich

17 & 18/12/2022
Loft – das Theater
Leipzig, Deutschland

11 & 12/08/2023
Bundeskunsthalle
Bonn, Deutschland

 

Credits:

 

Crew:

  • Costume Design: Lauren Steel

  • Artistic direction/stage design: Stephanie Thiersch

  • Musical direction: Martha Mavroidi

  • Composition:Martha Mavroidi & Mariana Sadovska

  • Architecture: Sou Fujimoto

  • Dramaturgy: Stawrula Panagiotaki

  • Lighting Design: Begoña Garcia Navas

  • Rehearsal direction: Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola

  • Sound design: Nicolas Baudoux

  • Mixing Engineer: Jonas Gehrmann

  • Stage construction: Softrock/Joao Parrinha

  • Technical assistance: Dimitar Evtimov

  • Accompanying expert: Guy Cools

  • Management: Tanja Baran, Agnes Missel

  • Production management: Sarah Heinrich

  • Instrument Making: Thomas Meixner

Performers:

Additional performers Korean Tour:

  • Moo Kim

  • Hye-kyung Min

  • Hyerim Jang

Produced by:

In coproduction with:

  • Greek National Opera Alternative Stage, Greece – Founding donor of the Alternative Stage & Production donor:Stavros Niarchos Foundation

  • Théâtre de Nîmes, France

  • SIDance – Seoul International Dance Festival, Korea

  • tanzhaus nrw, Düsseldorf, Germany

  • LOFFT – DAS THEATER. Funded by Stadt Leipzig

  • Kulturamt Freihandelszone

  • Ensemblenetzwerk Köln, Germany

In cooperation with:

  • HELLERAU – Europäisches Zentrum der Künste, Dresden

Funded by:

  • NATIONALES PERFORMANCE NETZ Koproduktionsförderung Tanz

  • Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien; Kunststiftung NRW

  • Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen

  • NRW Landesbüro Freie Darstellende Künste

  • die Stadt Leipzig

  • Kulturamt and the Kulturamt der Stadt Köln.