Studio Dan

It is not that long ago that church bells were an important means of communication. They rang out, summoning the public to gather in celebration, mourning or prayer. But also in warning. And last but not least, they also marked the passing of time. Yet the era of church bells is now over. The step towards the secularisation of communication has been taken.

With We had a lot of bells, the remarkable singer and performer Damian Rebgetz takes a look at the ceremonial phenomenon of campanology. Referencing the book Village Bells: Sound & Meaning in the 19th-century French Countryside by historian Alain Corbin, Rebgetz teams up with musicians and actors to elaborate a speculative history of listening. With a nod towards the surreal of yesterday and today, his research expedition into bells and their oddities uncovers unexpected insights into communities, politics and power.

Damian Rebgetz – Direction, Text and music
Ann Cotten – German Translation
Romy Kießling – Set
Veronika Schneider - Costume
Lucie Ortmann – Dramaturgy
Ensemble Schauspielhaus Wien, Damian Rebgetz

Music
Studio Dan (Maiken Beer – Cello, Viola Falb – Bass clarinet)
Sachiko Hara and guests