SUN Shang-chi X Ensemble KNM Berlin

The Photographer
Mixed Media in Three Parts by Philip Glass and Rob Malasch

The focus of this production is English photographer Eadweard Muybridge(1830-1904). His passion for photography led to advances in motion studies. That passion spilled over into real life, when, in 1874, he murdered his wife's lover, but was acquitted.
 
The original production premiered in the Netherlands in 1982, during which drama, music, images and dance were introduced in succession over three acts. Through drama and dance the story of Muybridge’s crime and subsequent acquittal was told, accompanied by slides of his works and music composed by Philip Glass. Rob Malasch was later called on to rewrite the script.  
 

Choreographer SUN Shang-chi was invited to create an integrated play and dance piece. In real-time processed films of Muybridge's motion studies replace the static slides, while the music of Philip Glass remains a feature.

Philip Glass  Composer

Philip Glass is considered one of the most influential composers of the late 20th century. In the early 1960s, he studied with the legendary Nadia Boulanger and worked closely with the sitar virtuoso Ravi Shankar. In 1967, he formed the Philip Glass Ensemble in New York. He still performs on keyboards as part of this ensemble. By 1974, Glass had completed a number of innovative projects, amassing a large collection of new music for his Ensemble and the Mabou Mines Theater Company. This period culminated in Music in Twelve Parts, and the landmark opera, Einstein on the Beach, for which he collaborated with Robert Wilson.

Since Einstein, Glass has expanded his repertoire to include music for opera, dance, theater, chamber ensemble, orchestra, and film. His scores have received Academy Award nominations (Kundun, The Hours, Notes on a Scandal) and a Golden Globe (The Truman Show). In 2015, he received the National Medal of Arts.

SUN Shang-chi  Direction & Choreography

Taiwan born dancer and choreographer SUN Shang-chi was educated in ballet and contemporary dance at the National Academy of the Arts (now National Taiwan University of the Arts) in Taipei and earned a Master of Arts degree in Choreography from Ernst Busch University (Berlin).

Since the founding of his company in 2007, he has created a diversity of works such as Walk Faster (2007), Dialogue II (2008), Nüwa (2009), 4.48/Ohne Titel (2010), Je.Sans.Paroles (2011) and Traverse (2011) which have been presented all over Europe and Asia (Maison de la Danse – Lyon, Festival Tanz im August – Berlin, Festival d’Avignon, and Taipei Arts Festival). Over the past few years, he has collaborated with a number of companies on commissioned works, including Sasha Waltz & Guests, Cloud Gate 2, Transitions Company London and Dance Company of City Theatre Osnabrück.

Ensemble KNM Berlin  Performer & Producer

Ensemble KNM Berlin represents the active, current music scene of the metropolis of Berlin. Along with other students from the Hanns Eisler School of Music in the former East Berlin, Juliane Klein and Thomas Bruns founded this ensemble in 1988. It is now made up of ten musicians from all over Germany, Great Britain, Hungary and Switzerland.

In close collaboration with international composers, authors, conductors, artists and producers, KNM has presented compositions, concert installations and projects worldwide. Its innovative programs result from a fascination with the unknown and constant discussions on the most essential topics of our time. This ensemble has performed more than 1,000 concerts since its creation.

Music / Philip Glass

Play / Rob Malasch

Lyrics / David Byrne

Musical Direction / Manuel Nawri

Direction, Choreography / SUN Shang-chi

Video / Safy Etiel

Light design / Hans Fründt

Sound design / Andre Bartetzki

Costumes / Melinda Stokes/Stokx

Assistance Costumes / Andrea Portioli/Stokx

Dancers, Actors / Annapaola Leso, Samuel Déniz Falcón, David Pallant

Solo-Violin / Theodor Flindell

Ensemble KNM Berlin

Flute / Rebecca Lenton

Saxophone / Theo Nabicht, Martin Posegga

Horn / Gala Grauel, HUANG Yi-Ru *

Trombone / Matthias Jann, CHOU Chia-ho *

Keyboard / Frank Gutschmidt

Violin / Theodor Flindell, Emily Yabe

Viola / Kirstin Maria Pientka

Cello / Cosima Gerhardt

Taipei Chamber Singers *
Chorus Master / CHEN Yun-hung * 

*Auxiliary

Producer / Thomas Bruns

Performing rights © 1982 Dunvagen Music Publishers Inc.

With the help of Goethe-Institut