MASSIMO FURLAN/ CLAIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE - European Philosophical Song Contest - Théâtre ...
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RUE DE BOURG 19
CH – 1003 LAUSANNE
T +41 21 566 70 74
MASSIMO FURLAN/ Creation
at Vidy
CLAIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE
European Philosophical
Song Contest
Premiere September 2019
C’est Fantastique, a performance for the Centre d’Art de Neuchâtel (CH) – 5 July 2014 © Photos Arthur de Pury
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 2 CONTACTS THÉÂTRE VIDY-LAUSANNE DIRECTION: VINCENT BAUDRILLER PRODUCTION: DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PROJECTS CAROLINE BARNEAUD C.BARNEAUD@VIDY.CH T +41 (0)21 619 45 44 TECHNICS: TECHNICAL DIRECTION CHRISTIAN WILMART / SAMUEL MARCHINA DT@VIDY.CH T +41 (0)21 619 45 16 / 81 PRESS: DIRECTOR OF AUDIENCES AND COMMUNICATION ASTRID LAVANDEROS A.LAVANDEROS@VIDY.CH T +41 (0)21 619 45 74 M +41 (0)79 949 46 93 COMMUNICATION ASSISTANT PAULINE AMEZ-DROZ P.AMEZ-DROZ@VIDY.CH T +41 (0)21 619 45 21 NUMERO23PROD. WWW.MASSIMOFURLAN.COM ARTISTIC DIRECTOR MASSIMO FURLAN MASSIMO@MASSIMOFURLAN.COM DRAMATURG CLAIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE CLAIRE@MASSIMOFURLAN.COM T +41 (0)78 819 03 62
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 3
Creation
EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL at Vidy
SONG CONTEST
Concept, Direction and (voice, alternating)
Scenography Dominique Hunziker, Lynn
Massimo Furlan Maring (voice, alternating)
Mathieu Nuzzo,
Concept and Dramaturgy François Cuennet (keyboard,
Claire de Ribaupierre alternating)
Assistant Arno Cuendet, Martin Burger
Nina Negri (guitar, alternating)
Jocelin Lipp, Mimmo Pisino (bass
Song Lyrics
guitar, alternating)
Jean Paul Van Bendegem (Bel-
Hugo Dordor, Steve Grant
gium, Flemish region), Vinciane
(drums, alternating)
Despret (Belgium, Walloon re-
With the participation of a local
gion), Philippe Artières (France),
jury at each performance (4
Leon Engler (Germany), Michela
thinkers)
Marzano (Italy), Kristupas Sabo-
lius (Lithuania), Ande Somby
(Norway), José Bragança de Production:
Miranda (Portugal), Mladen Dolar Numero23Prod. – Théâtre Vidy-Lau-
(Slovenia), Santiago Alba Rico sanne
(Spain), Mondher Kilani (Switzer- In collaboration with the jazz and
land) contemporary music departments
Musical Composition at the Haute École de Musique de
Monika Ballwein (lead), Maïc Lausanne.
Anthoine, Gwénolé Buord, Arno Coproduction:
Cuendet, Davide De Vita, Lynn MC93 - Maison de la Culture de Seine-
Saint-Denis, Bobigny - Emilia Romagna
Maring, Bart Plugers, Karin Sever
Teatro Fondazione, Modène - Festival
Musical Direction de Otoño a Primavera, Madrid - NTGent,
Gand - Théâtre national d’art drama-
Steve Grant, Mimmo Pisino
tique de Lituanie, Vilnius - Théâtre Avant
Coordination and Musical Garden, Trondheim - Théâtre de Liège
- Théâtre Mladinsko, Ljubljana - Comédie
Supervision
de Genève - Equilibre-Nuithonie,
Laurence Desarzens, Thomas
Fribourg - Les 2 Scènes, Scène nationale
Dobler
de Besançon - Teatro Nacional D. Maria
Movement Coach II, Lisbonne - Teatro Municipal do Porto -
Anne Delahaye Theater der Welt 2020, Düsseldorf
(In progress)
Lighting & scenography
With the support of:
Antoine Friderici
Ville de Lausanne – État de Vaud – Pro
Costumes Helvetia – Fondation Suisse pour la
Severine Besson Culture - Loterie Romande - Fondation
Leenaards
Make-Up/Wigs (in progress)
Julie Monot
Technical and Set Construction Production supported by the Interreg
Program France-Switzerland 2014-2020
Théâtre Vidy-Lausanne
with funding support from the ERDF.
With
Massimo Furlan
Creation September 2019
A local co-presenter
Davide De Vita, Dylan Monnard On tour 2019/2020 and
2020/2021
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 4
TO SING A THOUGHT
This new project harks back to our previous show 1973, created at the Festival
d’Avignon in 2010, which was a reenactment of the 1973 Eurovision Song Contest.
So why return to the idea of the Eurovision Contest? Because it allows us to get
a better idea of the commercial and standardised features of today’s music. Be-
cause it raises questions about identity: of the different participating countries and
of Europe as a community – especially as Europe is becoming more fragile and
notions of what it means are being reassessed. Because the idea of competition
affects all aspects of our contemporary world: political, social, economic, sporting
and cultural.
Just as with 1973, the visual dimensions of scenography, lighting, costumes and
choreography are a vital part of the project. However, this time it is not about re-
creating past performances, but rather making up an entirely new contest that
will focus on the song lyrics. We are going to give the task of writing these texts to
thinkers (philosophers, historians, anthropologists, etc.). For form, the texts will
follow the poetical codes of song, that is, a structure including verses and a chorus,
which may be rhymed. For content, however, it will not be a question of poetry,
lyricism or emotions, but rather of considering sociological, anthropological or
philosophical aspects of our contemporary world. The author will therefore begin
with an idea and then seek to give it the form of a song.
With the European Philosophical Song Contest, our aim is to respond indirectly and
with humour to the growing contempt that populist discourse displays toward in-
tellectuals and to the disappearance of thought from the public space in favour of
entertainment. Using the ruse of the Trojan horse, we will reintroduce thought
and philosophical reflection into the heart of entertainment by creating a musi-
cal show that is both entirely credible in terms of the standards of popular music
(rock, pop, latino, disco, etc.), but that at the same time through the lyrics stresses
the importance of thought and reflection. The most important thing for us is for
thought to be present in the public space and for it to be heard, shared and un-
derstood. By doing this, we are also putting thought and thinkers in a position that
requires from them to deal with popular culture, taking it seriously and using it
intelligently.
A jury will also be present at the contest. It will be made up of intellectuals – spe-
cialists in contemporary history, philosophy, ecology, anthropology, environmen-
tal science, etc. – and will also include a well-known name from the music world.
After each song, the members of the jury will comment on and discuss the themes
evoked by the lyrics. This panel of experts reflects the many televised programmes
that use specialists to comment on the performance of candidates in all kinds of
domains, from music to sport, from dance to cooking. The critical dialogue de-
veloped by the members of the jury will play a key role in the show and will be a
further opportunity to put thought and reflection at the centre of the proceedings.
They will lead, at every performance, to unique debates, learned and fascinating,
funny and unexpected. Along with the songs, they will help take stock of contem-
porary thought by showing, with humour and yet serious consideration, the beauty
and pleasure of thinking and reflecting.
MASSIMO FURLAN AND CLAIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 5 Set design sketch © Massimo Furlan Set design sketch © Massimo Furlan
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST
6
A PARTICIPATORY PROJECT,
UNIQUE PERFORMANCES
WORDS WRITTEN BY 8 EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHERS
Initially the project will bring together 8 theatres or festivals, each from a different
European country. Each participant country will ask one of their thought leaders – a
philosopher, historian or sociologist, for example – to write the words for a ‘philoso-
phical’ song in their language. The format of the text must correspond with a song
from the country of each author.
A TEAM OF MUSICIANS AND COMPOSERS FROM LAUSANNE
The texts will then be put to music and orchestrated in different styles by a musical
team put together in collaboration with the jazz and contemporary music depart-
ments at the Haute École de Musique de Lausanne (HEMU). As part of this work,
musical and linguistic specialists from each country may be consulted so as to ex-
change information about the special features of local music cultures.
The creative team will then work with singers and musicians from the cast to create
the staging and choreography of these songs and ensure a high-quality performance,
though with a quirky and burlesque air.
A LOCAL CO-PRESENTER AND A LOCAL JURY
The show will be staged like a TV competition between the different songs. Prior
to the performances, the host venue will form a local jury comprising well-known
figures from both intellectual and musical worlds. This jury with its five to six
members (of which at least two will change for each performance) will comment
during the show on the song lyrics and then vote to decide the winner. The host
venue must also provide an actress or female TV presenter to co-host the evenings
alongside Massimo Furlan. Massimo Furlan will meet with the members of the jury
and the co-presenter in the days leading up to the performances in order to prepare
their part.
A GUEST STAR ?
All the songs in the show will be performed by the singers and musicians of the cast.
However, if the host venue wishes, they can choose a local singer to perform their
country’s song and thus better integrate the show into local popular culture.
A COMPETITION EVENING MIXING ENTERTAINMENT AND THOUGHT
To the tune of the hymn from the contest, Massimo Furlan and the co-presenter
will appear on stage. They will welcome the audience to this international evening
of music and present the members of the local jury overseeing the evening’s per-
formance, before introducing the first competitor and briefly commenting on who
wrote the lyrics. A singer will appear on stage, performing the first song in the lan-
guage it was written in, accompanied by live music. At the same time, the audience
can watch on-screen video displays of the singer, with a translation of the words
they are singing. Once the song has finished, the presenters will turn the floor over
to the panel of experts, who will begin their comments on the song just performed.
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST
7
The ensuing discussion, dialogue and anecdotes will develop the theme outlined in
the lyrics, continuing with a live debate focussed on the modern world.
After a few minutes of discussion, the presenters will once again take the floor and
announce the following competitor. From one song to another, the singers will
change identity and costumes, just as the musical style, languages and themes will
change. Throughout the evening, moments of entertainment will be followed by a
time for reflection.
A WINNER
Once all the competitors have performed, the public and jury will vote to decide the
winner of the competition. As Eurovision Contest tradition has it, the winner will
perform their song again.
1973 © L. Ceillier et P. Nydegger
1973 © L. Ceillier et P. Nydegger
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST
8
Set design sketch © Massimo Furlan
Set design sketch © Massimo Furlan
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST
9
THOUGHT AS A CREATIVE APPROACH
Reflecting on thought and how to provoke it within the context of theatre is one of
Massimo Furlan and Claire de Ribaupierre’s creative approaches. With a starting
point of appreciation, interest and conviction, their aim is to position intellectuals
differently, outside of academic circuits, and to make their voices heard in the ar-
tistic scene, open to a larger and often uninformed public. Everyone should have
access to these thoughts, which should in turn provoke reflection and create a com-
munity that is not afraid of new ideas and that seeks to understand the major issues
in today’s world.
For the project Singer rather than Actor at the Festival d’Avignon in 2008, they created
a real fake debate on questions of transmission, genealogy and lines of descent, in-
viting anthropologist Marc Augé, philosophers Bernard Stiegler and Serge Margel,
as well as historian Pierre-Olivier Dittmar. In 2010, again in Avignon and for the
creation of 1973, a reenactment of the 1973 Eurovision Contest, Marc Augé, Serge
Margel and Bastien Gallet were invited to appear as fictional characters to conduct a
philosophical and anthropological debate on the phenomena of trance, possession,
icons and music.
With the performance Les Héros de la pensée, created in 2012 at the Centre d’Art de
Neuchâtel and later performed at the Théâtre de la Cité Internationale in Paris, as
well as the Théâtre Amandiers in Nanterre in May 2018, Massimo Furlan and Claire
de Ribaupierre have also created unique instances for speaking out and developing
conversations. One version inspired from these was developed for the Nuit Blanche
in 2015 and called Après la fin, le congrès. These projects last from 8 to 26 hours and
require a constant presence from performers who improvise and move their words
and knowledge about in a room or in the open, surrounded by a public that either
comes and goes or that settles in and commits to spending the whole night in front
of the performance. Historians, anthropologists and philosophers convey, exchange
and build ideas, which later take the form of an alphabet book containing the world
and its ‘inhabitants’, states, desires, and history: leading to such varied subjects (out
of order and from a mix of versions) as anarchists, bastards, cannibals, dromedaries,
chess, melancholy, the north, obsessions, rain, bedlam, Western films, xenopho-
bia and zones. The following people have participated in these different projects:
Philippe Artières, historian; Marc Augé, anthropologist; Ludivine Bantigny, histo-
rian; Vinciane Despret, philosopher; Pierre-Olivier Dittmar, historian; Daniel Fabre,
anthropologist; Barbara Formis, philosopher; Bastien Gallet, philosopher; Thomas
Golsenne, art historian; Jacques Hainard, ethnologist; Sophie Houdart, anthropo-
logist; Christophe Kihm, critic; Arnaud Lambert, film-maker; Christine Lapostolle,
writer; Camille Louis, philosopher; Chloé Maillet, historian; Serge Margel, philo-
sopher; Yoann Moreau, anthropologist; Jean-Claude Schmitt, historian; and David
Zerbib, philosopher.
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST
10
1973 © L. Ceillier et P. Nydegger
Les héros de la pensée © P. Nydegger
Après la fin, le Congrès © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 11 MASSIMO FURLAN Director Massimo Furlan’s work often emerges from his childhood memories: he begins from the point of view of his personal lifestory – he was born in Switzerland to Italian parents in the 1960s – and goes on to touch the collective memory of a whole generation, by producing visual and stage creations that mix burlesque and philosophy, poetic and popular © Joana Abriel aesthetics. He draws on ideas, dreams and anecdotes from his childhood and teenage years that especially marked him, and whose vibrant intensity today still generates surprise among his audience, as well as These considerations produce art that has many a kind of jubilation. His mode of operation is the varying forms but that stems from the same origin performance sphere, for example, replaying an iconic and the same world. match from football’s history in a stadium without Thanks to the synergy between the people at a ball, or portraying all the competitors in the 1973 Numero23Prod, with such various backgrounds as Eurovision Song Contest. In his stage projects, he dance, theatre, music and other areas, they are able to invites dancers and other performers to create what go beyond the limits traditionally imposed by genre he calls ‘long images’, long shots similar to cinema and convention. and installation art. He also invents ingenious procedures and systems for words that he develops for in-situ projects like Madre, Blue Tired Heroes or Les Héros de la pensée. Massimo Furlan taps into the dynamic created by the Numero23Prod. company to tackle various issues around shows, performing arts, installation art and video. Called on to work in different domains and on diverse projects from varying artistic fields, Massimo Furlan and his company engage with a large number of organisations; international festivals, theatres, museums, art centres, and schools. His work attracts lively interest from the public and media not just in Switzerland but throughout Europe. This interest no doubt comes from the fact the Numero23Prod. produces radical and uncompromising art that is accessible to a wide public and that deals with themes residing in our collective imagination. The language that develops around his work concerns memory and recollection, by way of popular culture.
MASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 12
CLAIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE NINA NEGRI
Dramaturg Assistant
Claire de Ribaupierre has been a dramaturg After studying philosophy at the Sorbonne and
and performer in Massimo Furlan’s creations dramatic arts at the National Academy in Rome,
since 2003. She has a doctorate and carries out Nina Negri joined the Rencontres Internationales
research in the fields of anthropology, imagery de Danse Contemporaine in Paris and studied
and contemporary literature. Her work Le roman performance at the Accademia Teatro Dimitri.
généalogique. Claude Simon et Georges Perec was
As an actress and performer, she has worked
published in 2002 (Brussels, La Part de l’OEil),
with Thomas Ostermeier, Blandine Masson, Jan
and she has led a number of collective works on
Lauwers, Cesar Brie, Barbara Nicolier, Giorgio Rossi,
grief and ghosts (Le corps évanoui, les images
El Conde de Torrefiel, Gary Brackett, Kai Berdholt
subites, Paris, Hazan, 1999), the character of the
(Odin Teatret), and Ricci/Forte, among others.
idiot (Paris, Léo Scheer, 2004) and on anecdotes
(Zurich, JRP, 2007). In October 2012 with the In 2014 she created Cie AlmaVenus, a theatre
Centre d’Art de Neuchâtel, she published Les company that questions the relationship between
Héros de la pensée, a work covering the 26 hours of the body and images, gender studies and cross-
performance in Neuchâtel. She has been a research disciplinary thinking. Her performance GirlisaGun
assistant and lecturer at the École cantonale d’art was presented at the CND in Paris and at the Festival
du Valais as well as at HEAD (Haute École d’art et Assemblaggi Provvisori in Tuscany.
de design, Geneva). She has organised a number of In 2016 she completed a Master in directing at La
meetings in art spaces (for example, l’Arsenic) that Manufacture, where she met Robert Cantarella,
gather together artists and theorists to discuss a Barbara Van Lindt, François Gremaud, Das Plateau,
specific issue (for example, anecdotes, archives, Christian Geffroy Schlittler, Massimo Furlan, and
animals, accidents, excess). From 2008 to 2010, the Cie Motus.
she was funded by the Swiss National Science
She has also assisted Pascal Rambert, Nicolas
Foundation and worked as a researcher on artistic
Zlatof f, and Ricci/For te in direction and
practices in archiving, as well as on a project
choreography, and directed several theatre and
about improvisation practices with several art,
Butoh dance workshops in France and Italy.
theatre and music schools. Currently, she teaches
methodology, playwriting and anthropology at La Her latest performance, entitled Carto-graphies
Manufacture (Haute École des Arts vivants), for Migrantes and co-produced in collaboration with
Bachelor degrees in theatre and dance, as well as artist Kahena Sanaa and the CNRS Institut ACte,
for Masters in directing. was presented at the Musée des Arts et Métiers de
Paris as part of the Le Corps Dessinant exhibition.
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 13
JEAN PAUL VAN BENDEGEM VINCIANE DESPRET
Song lyrics for the Belgian song (Flemish) Song lyrics for the Belgian song (Walloon)
Born in Ghent in 1953, Jean Paul Van Bendegem has Vinciane Despret, born in 1959 in Anderlecht,
an MA in mathematics and a PhD in philosophy. is a Belgian philosopher of science, lecturer and
He is a part-time lecturer in logic and science researcher at the University of Liège.
philosophy at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) She completed a philosophy degree before beginning
and a guest lecturer at the University of Ghent. studies in psychology. During her studies, she came
From 2005 to 2009 he was dean of the Faculty of across ethnologists and developed a passion for
Arts and Philosophy at the VUB. In addition to his their work, which compelled her to turn towards
teaching responsibilities, he is also the director at the philosophy of science. She offered to accompany
the Centre for Logic and Science Philosophy and scientists in the field, as they carried out their work,
the chief-editor of the magazine Logic and Analysis. to understand how they made the subject of their
His scientific research focuses on the philosophy work interesting.
of mathematics. He is particularly interested in the She has written many works on the subject of
role played by the concept of infinity in mathematics, animals and on the relationship between the living
in the way that mathematics are applied in reality and the dead. Some of her works include Être bête,
rather than as an idealised representation, as well with Jocelyne Porcher (2007), Penser comme un rat
as in the relationship between science and religious (2009), Women Who Make a Fuss: The Unfaithful
opinions. Daughters of Virginia Woolf, with Isabelle Stengers
In 2008 he published About What I Still Want to (2011), What Would Animals Say If We Asked Them
Write, in 2009 Hamlet en entropie, in 2012 De vrolijke the Right Questions? (2012), and Au bonheur des morts
atheist, in 2014 Elke dire seconden, and in 2017 (2015).
Verdwaalde stad.
‘I am convinced that with the rise in artificial ‘We do things for our dead, the most diverse
intelligence, the human aspect will become all the range of things. What’s important, though, is to
more important. If machines passed the Turing Test think about them, but not in the way we might
and we were no longer able to tell the difference think about the moon or about the Discourse on
between machines and men, how would we deal the Method. It’s about taking action to create
with the situation? Would robots have rights and relationships and create someone. People who
moral obligations? If you pulled the plug, would think about their dead really have the feeling
that be murder? Now is the time to ask ourselves they’re doing something for them. It’s a kind of
the questions we’d rather not think about. ’ thought-action, in a way.’
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 14
PHILIPPE ARTIÈRES SANTIAGO ALBA RICO
Song lyrics for the French song Song lyrics for the Spanish song
Philippe Artières was born in France in 1968. He is Santiago Alba Rico, born in Madrid in 1960, is a
a historian, a writer, and the director of research at Spanish writer, essayist and philosopher. As a
the CNRS. From 1995 to 2013 he was the president Marxist and leftist, he has published a number of
of the Centre Michel Foucault. philosophical, anthropological and political essays.
He has worked as an editor on various magazines
Former fellow at the Villa Médicis, he has curated
and media.
several exhibitions on criminal archives, prisons,
and the student unrest of 1968. He co-edited, with Between 1984 and 1988 he wrote the scenarios for
Michelle Zancarini-Fournel, 68, une histoire collective Los electroduendes, a series of ‘satirical Marxist fables
(2008, 2nd ed. 2018). His work Attica, USA, 1971 for children’ as part of La bola de cristal programme.
(2017) focuses on the eponymous prison uprising He has written Leer con niños (2007), Caballo de
that occurred in the United States. In February 2018, Troya, Capitalismo y nihilismo (2007), Las Noches
he published Images en lutte (1968–1974), with Éric Bárbaras: tercera fiesta de músicos en la calle (2008),
de Chassey and 68, les Archives du pouvoir, with Noticias (2010), and Islamofobia: nosotros, los otros,
Emmanuelle Giry. el miedo (2015).
Philippe Artières has participated in several artist His latest book, Pouvons-nous encore être de gauche?
performances and has published many essays, A Pamphlet in Itself Minor, was published in
including D’après Foucault (2007), Clinique de January 2014.
l’écriture (2013), and Rêves d’histoire (2014). He has
also written individual stories: Vie et mort de Paul
Gény in 2012, Au fond and Miettes, Eléments pour une
‘T he so-called “social net works” have
histoire de l’année 1980 in 2016, and Des routes in
revolutionized human connections, displacing
2018.
“reality” and “life” away from bodies, into a space
incapable of distinguishing interior from exterior,
‘It just so happens that I do a lot of work on
private from public, before from after, and
secondary resources within archives and so on
make thick memories and strong commitments
archives that I have to search for – with my hands
increasingly tenuous and fragile.’
– in second-hand stores, garage sales and attics.
There is a real physical involvement, and the
question of the historian’s body at work seems
vital to me. I think there is a strong tendency to
ignore it. I believe Foucault was one of the only
people to have said that we “physically experience
something”.’
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 15
MICHELA MARZANO KRISTUPAS SABOLIUS
Song lyrics for the Italian song Song lyrics for the Lithuanian song
Michela Marzano is a contemporary French-Italian Kristupas Sabolius was born in Vilnius in 1979. He is
philosopher born in 1970 in Rome. Politically active a writer and an associate professor of philosophy at
within the Italian left, she became a member of par- the University of Vilnius. He teaches contemporary
liament in February 2013. Michela Marzano attended art philosophy and theories of the imagination. He
high school at the Pio IX college in Rome. After en- has co-curated performances at the CAC, Vilnius,
tering the Scuola Normale Superiore in Pisa, she be- and Arte Boccanera Contemporanea, Trente, Italy,
came interested in philosophy and studied analytical and co-wrote the scenario of The Gambler (2013), a
philosophy and bioethics concurrently at the Univer- film presented at film festivals around the world.
sity of Rome ‘La Sapienza’. In 1998, she defended her
Sabolius has also written theatre plays and worked
thesis at the SNS on the subject of the status of the
with Lithuanian directors. In his research, he
human body, which has gradually led to her current
considers imagination to be the point of intersection
field of research.
between philosophy, psychoanalysis, the arts,
She works in the field of moral philosophy and poli- cinema, theatre, and even neuroscience.
tics and is especially interested in the space that hu-
In 2012, he published Furious Sleep: Imagination and
mans occupy today as carnal beings. Her analysis of
Phenomenology, a study signalling the contradictory
the fragility of the human condition was the starting
function of imagination that appears in all the
point for her research and philosophical reflections.
major theories of Western thought, followed by The
Imaginary (2013), a book on imagination, technology,
potentiality, film and art, and Proteus and the Radical
Imaginary (2015).
‘The notion of trust interests me because it is a
concept that allows us to create links. Trust is an
‘It is surprising how in a single flash, an image
ambiguous concept. If we believe that when trus-
condenses that moment where all the knowledge,
ting someone, this trust must be total and abso-
all the circumstances and all expression is
lute, then we’re fooling ourselves and are actually
transformed by the totalising instinct of our
opening ourselves up to gullibility. If by “trust” we
consciousness, a dynamic and singular amalgam of
mean the need to accept the fact that occasionally
mind, affection and visualisation, where meaning
we have to be able to rely on others, then we are
merges into intonation and suggestibility.’
not being gullible, because we’re recognising the
possibility for betrayal. We’re making a bet.’
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 16
ANDE SOMBY MLADEN DOLAR
Song lyrics for the Norwegian song Song lyrics for the Slovene song
Born in 1958 in Buolbmat, Norway, Ande Somby Born in 1951 in Maribor, Mladen Dolar is a Slovene
comes from the tundra tradition of the ‘yoiker’ philosopher, psychoanalyst and film critic. In 1978,
reindeer herders. He is an associate professor in he graduated in philosophy and French from the Uni-
the Faculty of Law at the University of Tromsø, versity of Ljubljana. He then studied at the University
specialising in indigenous rights. of Paris VII and at the University of Westminster.
Co-founder of the Sami publishing house and label Now a senior research fellow at the University of
Dat, he also sings yoik, the traditional songs of Ljubljana, he has been teaching philosophy for over
the Sami people. He performs in groups and as a 20 years. He is one of the founders of the ‘Ljubljana
soloist, including as part of a symphony orchestra, School for Psychoanalysis’, which since the 1970s has
and regularly appears abroad and in many European been seeking to reflect on modernity without falling
countries. prey to cultural relativism or reactionary moralism.
The main objective of the movement is to create a
synthesis between Lacanian psychoanalysis and the
‘My home is within me. I always carry it with me. philosophy of German idealism.
My home village is Sirbma, and my homeland is He is a specialist on Hegel, but his work also deals
Samiland. Our people are the indigenous people with music and cinema. He co-wrote Opera’s Second
of the northwest of Europe, and like many other Death with Slavoj Žižek in 2002 and wrote A Voice
indigenous peoples, they were considered pagans. and Nothing More in 2006, which was translated into
I also carry that within me. By formal training I several languages.
am a doctor of law.’
‘I have this conception of art, which is that art has
to do with universality and infinity. It introduces
something into the continuity of a being, into the
continuity of our survival. A break. Which is a uni-
versal break. A break to universality. It can speak
universally. What is important in art is not a ques-
tion of whether it is an expression of a certain in-
dividual or whether it is an expression of a certain
ethnic group or nation or of a certain age. I think
that the break is such that it makes the universal
out of particularities.’
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 17
MONDHER KILANI HAUTE ÉCOLE DE MUSIQUE
Song lyrics for the Swiss song
DE LAUSANNE (HEMU)
Born in January 1948 in Tunisia, Mondher Kilani is Music
immersed in both Tunisian and French cultures. He
has been living for many years in Switzerland and has The Haute École de Musique de Lausanne (HEMU)
obtained Swiss nationality. teaches at university level (Bachelors / Masters) in
the fields of musical performance and pedagogy. It
After completing his baccalauréat at the Académie de
is the only higher education institution for music
Paris and university studies in Lausanne and Paris,
in the French-speaking part of Switzerland to
Mondher Kilani received a doctorate in anthropolo-
offer professional courses in all styles of music:
gy. He has carried out field research in Papua New
classical, jazz and contemporary.
Guinea looking at the social-religious movements
known as ‘cargo cults’, in the Swiss Alps on issues of As a renowned educational institution with an
tourism and social change in mountain areas, in the internationally respected reputation, it has more
oasis regions of southern Tunisia on water systems than 500 students with 39 different nationalities.
and social and religious structures, and in the Niger It has strong ties with many prestigious partners,
among Hausa farmers and semi-nomadic Fulani pas- such as the Opéra de Lausanne, Montreux Jazz
toralists. More recently, he has developed an interest Festival, Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne
in the mask rituals of the Bwa in Burkina Faso. (OCL), Cully Jazz Festival, Société de Musique
Contemporaine Lausanne (SMC) and the Radio
He is the author of Guerre et sacrifice (2006), Anthropo-
Télévision Suisse (RTS).
logie. Du local au global (2012) and Du Goût de l’autre,
Fragments d’un discours cannibale (2018). Present in three cantons – Vaud, Valais and
Fribourg – the HEMU provides its students with
modern facilities, including state of the art practice
and teaching rooms. Its jazz and contemporary
‘There are no traces left to prove cannibalism music departments are grouped together in
existed among societies. The anthropologist must Lausanne, in the Flon neighbourhood, resulting in
therefore identify the representations, sources, dis- a campus atmosphere conducive to individual and
courses and ways in which members of a society group creation.
symbolised it, expressed it or turned it into a ritual.
Cannibalism is never stated as being a hard fact; it
is part of an exchange, of a relationship. [...] The
plasticity of cannibalism is actually a very produc-
tive concept – it brings together a number of rea-
lities and works at different levels. In a dialectic
relation, it can turn into its opposite, because we
always end up cannibalising the other. In Africa,
whites were also seen as cannibals.’
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 18
MONIKA BALLWEIN STEVE GRANT
Composition/Musical Direction Musical Direction/
Drums (alternating)
Monika Ballwein is an Austrian singer and vocal
coach. She studied jazz voice and instrumental and
Steve Grant is a self-taught drummer, born in Liver-
vocal pedagogy at the Franz Schubert Conservatory
pool in 1966, who started to play professionally at
in Vienna and later continued her studies in Copen-
the age of 15.
hagen.
From 1982 to 1995 he recorded many albums and each
As a back-up singer she has performed alongside
year played in more than 200 concerts for the likes of
Nina Hagen, Christina Stürmer, Udo Jürgens, Cha-
Supercharge, Juke, Mari Wilson, Gene ‘Mighty Flea’
ka Khan, Bill Ramsey, and Jennifer Rush. Her voice
Conners, Ben E. King, and Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.
can be heard in over 1500 songs, as well as in jingles
for more than 20 radio stations in Austria and Ger- In 1995 he moved to Switzerland and began working
many. She also performs as a soloist in the Dancing with artists with varying musical styles, including
Stars orchestra for the TV series of the same name. Chris Farlowe (Colosseum), Daniel Küffer Quartet,
In October 2013, Monika Ballwein released her first Christian Lohr, The Electric Dog Allstars, Funky-
single, Coming Home. brotherhood, Polo Hofer, Philipp Fankhauser, Fre-
da Goodlett, Bastian Baker, Fabian Anderhub, The
In 2004, she founded her own singing and entertain-
Kruger Brothers, Christina Jaccard, David Ruosch,
ment academy. She has appeared as the vocal coach
and Henri Dès.
on many TV programmes, such as Starmania, Hel-
den von Morgen, Popstars, and Herz von Österreich. Throughout his career, Steve Grant has performed
She also works with bands, soloists, and choirs. She in prestigious festivals, such as Glastonbury and the
participates in musicals, both as a vocal coach and Nordsea Jazz, and on some of Europe’s largest stages
a performer. (Olympia de Paris, London Palladium), as well as up-
close and personal in clubs like Quasimodo in Berlin
Monika Ballwein has taken part in five Eurovision
and the Philharmonic Pub in Liverpool.
Song Contests for Austria: four times as a choral sin-
ger and most recently as vocal coach and mentor for
Conchita Wurst, winner of the 2014 competition.
Monika Ballwein is the lead singer and musical di-
rector of the ensemble Live Spirits, founded in 1997,
with whom she has recorded several albums.
© DR © DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 19
MIMMO PISINO ANNE DELAHAYE
Musical Direction/ Movement Coach
Bass Guitar (alternating)
Anne Delahaye studied contemporary dance at the
Mimmo Pisino was born in Neuchâtel in 1965. On Conservatoire National Supérieur de Lyon.
stage and in the studio, he has appeared alongside She is regularly involved in performances in the
Simon Gerber (CH), George Clinton (USA), Wooloo- French-speaking part of Switzerland, for the
mooloo (AUS), Polo Hofer (CH), Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry Philippe Saire Company, Collectif Utilité Publique,
(JAM), Stress (CH), Michel Bühler (CH), Roy Herring- Alias, Marco Berretini and Nicole Seiler, but also
ton (GB), Nina Dimitri (CH), Juke (GB), A Few Good in France with Paolo dos Santos, Sylvie Giron, and
Men (CH), Dodo Hug (CH), Rhonda Dorsey (USA), Annabelle Bonnery, and in Germany with Isabelle
Daniel Küffer (CH), Juan Mungia (CUBA), Toni Mar- Shad.
tinez (CUBA), Unfaithful Film de David Lynn (USA),
She has been involved as a performer in Massimo
Aurelia Ikor (FRA), Pascal Auberson (CH), Stéphane
Furlan’s projects Live me/Love me (2001), Gran
Pompougnac’s Hotel Costes (FRA), Major Boys (CH),
Canyon Solitude (2004), Girls Change Places (2004),
Napoleon Washington (CH), Albie ‘Mr Supercharge’
Palo Alto (2006), Les filles et les garçons (2007), Sono
Donnelly (GB), B-connected (CH), Stevie Cochran
qui per l’amore (2008), Make Noise, Be a Girl (2009),
(USA), Guess What (CH), Jean-Pierre Huser (CH,
Concerto pour un violon et cinq chaises (2009), We Are
FRA), Pippo Pollina (ITA), Yvonne Moore (CH), Vocal
the World (2009), You Can Speak, You Are an Animal
Flight (USA, FRA), Regina Ribeiro (BRA), Phil Collins
(2009), 1973 (2010), and Schiller Thriller (2011).
(GB), Mike Rutherford (GB), Youssou N’Dour (SEN),
Kuno Lauener (CH), Malcolm Braff (CH), Dress (CH), In 2008, she created La Compagnie de Genève
Gabriel Zufferey (CH), and Sam Blaser (CH). He wor- with Nicolas Leresche. Their production Magica
ked for many years with the rapper Stress. Melodia, performed at the Festival de la Bâtie, won
the 2008 Cirque Europe Young Talent Prize.
Mimmo Pisino teaches bass guitar and ensemble
work at the contemporary music department at
HEMU.
© DRMASSIMO FURL AN/CL AIRE DE RIBAUPIERRE EUROPEAN PHILOSOPHICAL SONG CONTEST 20
ANTOINE FRIDERICI JULIE MONOT
Lighting Make-Up/Wigs
Lighting designer Antoine Friderici has worked with Julie Monot lives in Lausanne where she was born in
directors Massimo Furlan, Muriel Imbach, Christian 1978. In 1997 she travelled to London where she com-
Geffroy Schlitter, and François Gremaud, as well as pleted a BTEC diploma in make-up. She then spent 3
with choreographers Young Soon Choo and Estelle years assisting and travelling with various interna-
Héritier. He has worked as stage manager in many tional make up artists. Once back in Switzerland, she
Swiss and European theatres. developed new technical skills such as wig-making
From 2005 to 2009 he was lighting manager at the and the creation of masks and prosthetic elements.
Théâtre de l’Arsenic before becoming technical Since then she has worked with a cross-section of
director of the Festival Les Urbaines from 2007 the art world from performing arts to photography
to 2010. He is currently technical director at the and cinema, and collaborated with plastic artists
Théâtre Sévelin in Lausanne and for the Compagnie and directors such as Massimo Furlan, Dries Verhoe-
Numero23Prod. ven, Jacques Lassalle, Philippe Sireuil, and Sibylle
Stoeckli, among others.
In 2014 she began studying for a bachelor of visual
arts at the Haute École d’Art et de Design in Geneva,
SEVERINE BESSON
before completing her studies with a Master at the
École Cantonale d’Art in Lausanne. She practises her
art in various media including performance, video,
photography, and artistic installations. She ques-
Costumes tions the body and the diverse identities it can adopt.
Beyond simply representation, she is interested in
Severine Besson is a graduate of the École Nationale how the tension between reality and fiction creates
Supérieure des Arts et Techniques du Théâtre de Lyon a space for confusion.
and has worked with Marco Berrettini, Melk Prod,
Marielle Pinsard, and the Compagnie Les Voyages
Extraordinaires. She has also been assistant for cos-
tume creation at the Opernhaus in Zurich and at the
National Theatre in Stuttgart. She has developed the
costumes for many of Massimo Furlan’s productions.You can also read
