PIANOLA, satire de trash - ChampdAction
Taking the pianola as its guideline, Pianola, satire de trash examines the turbulent days of Futurism. During that era, the roar of machinery and the thunder of bombs was naively regarded as the highest form of art. The outbreak of the horrific First World War soon shattered both the movement and its accompanying utopian vision. As an offshoot of the automatic loom, the pianola symbolises the dawn of modernity. The development of both had an enormous social impact: home weavers and cinema and bar pianists lost their jobs. The machine was supposed liberate people and give them more time for intellectual and creative development. Nowadays, we are witnessing a similar phenomenon with the rise of the robot. During the performance, the creators ask the necessary questions about this evolution.
Performers
Alain Franco: piano, pianola, synth, narrator
Benjamin Van Esser: piano, pianola, synths, electronics
Ko Kowalsky & Serge Verstockt: guitar, keyboards, elektronics, voice
Yvan Van der Sanden: software, robotics
Lieven De Cauter: philosopher
Jean-Pierre Deschepper: light
Istvan Leel-Össy: video, technique
Victor Hidalgo: soundtechnique
Wenceslao Jimenez Romero: technical assistant
Hugo & Kuno, Claude, Igor en boycotter: robots
production: ChampdAction
coproduction: Concertgebouw Brugge & deSingel (Antwerpen)
in cooperation with Opera21
Taking the pianola as its guideline, Pianola, satire de trash examines the turbulent days of Futurism. During that era, the roar of machinery and the thunder of bombs was naively regarded as the highest form of art. The outbreak of the horrific First World War soon shattered both the movement and its accompanying utopian vision. As an offshoot of the automatic loom, the pianola symbolises the dawn of modernity. The development of both had an enormous social impact: home weavers and cinema and bar pianists lost their jobs. The machine was supposed liberate people and give them more time for intellectual and creative development. Nowadays, we are witnessing a similar phenomenon with the rise of the robot. During the performance, the creators ask the necessary questions about this evolution.
Performers
Alain Franco: piano, pianola, synth, narrator
Benjamin Van Esser: piano, pianola, synths, electronics
Ko Kowalsky & Serge Verstockt: guitar, keyboards, elektronics, voice
Yvan Van der Sanden: software, robotics
Lieven De Cauter: philosopher
Jean-Pierre Deschepper: light
Istvan Leel-Össy: video, technique
Victor Hidalgo: soundtechnique
Wenceslao Jimenez Romero: technical assistant
Hugo & Kuno, Claude, Igor en boycotter: robots
production: ChampdAction
coproduction: Concertgebouw Brugge & deSingel (Antwerpen)
in cooperation with Opera21