Studio atmosphere on stage: cables, low walls, electronic instruments, a box with a window in which a woman with a conservative hairstyle and glasses is sitting – the sound technician. Three musicians, a dancer, a technician. There is hardly any sound for quite some time: soundless instruments without loudspeakers and muted melodies. Gradually the sound increases; never reminiscent of any melody; creating steady hypnotic rhythms that are somewhere between minimal and punk. With acerbity and wit, “Requiem” produces a musical maelstrom mercilessly resulting in a final “Hymn” that, through its apocalyptic noise, sweeps away any trace of hope from the soul. Reminiscent of historical requiems, this rendition addresses an inner collection, referring to the idea of life after death, but also the struggle of the living for immortality. 

WITH  Stéphane Vecchione, Christian Garcia, Christophe Jaquet, Arantxa Martinez, Valérie Liengme, Serge Perret DIRECTION Velma DRAMATURGY Anja Haelg MUSIC Velma SOUND Ludovic Guglielmazzi SCENOGRAPHY Serge Perret LIGHT DESIGN Laurent Junod COSTUMES Tania d’Ambrogio PHOTO Myriam Tirler PREMIERE Théâtre Arsenic, Lausanne 09/2008 PRODUCTION Anja Haelg COPRODUCTION Centre d’art scénique contemporain Arsenic, Lausanne ; Theaterhaus Gessnerallee, Zürich; Forum Freies Theater, Düsseldorf; Hebbel-am-Ufer, Berlin; Kunstencentrum Vooruit, Ghent; Internationaal Festival van Vlaanderen Ghent SUPPORT City of Lausanne; State of Vaud; Loterie Romande; Pro Helvetia; Migros Culture percentage; Nestlé Fondation pour l’art; Ernst Göhner Stiftung Zug; Zuger Kulturstiftung Landis & Gyr INTERNET www.velma.ch

Velma
Emanating from rock and electro clubs, where Velma are still active, this group has been creating theatre and music performances since 1999. With Velma a new dimension of music has evolved, where everything is at the music’s service and not vice versa.