Studio Dan

What does a trumpet sound like in an aquarium? Are we allowed to drop stones on a drum? While the world sleeps and the moon is high in the sky, the wonderful musical world of Slovenian-French composer Vinko Globokar runs riot. Nine brave sonic explorers (Ensemble Studio Dan) sally forth to discover new worlds. But the inhabitants are certainly very strong willed. There is no awe-struck silence upon entry- the instruments blubber under water, drop down from the ceiling, attach themselves to garden hoses, play their own melodies, and generally turn the world of music on its head. Children’s eyes will grow bigger when they see the researchers carry on a conversation by gurgling water in a trombone. The result is fun, chaotic rollicking experiments. From this unbiased spontaneity emerges an unusual orchestra- and all this completely without words.

With this TaO! season opener, director Manfred Weissensteiner uses a playful manner to encourage a young audience to be curious: I understand you, even when you don’t speak the same language as me. When it works on Planet Globokar, it can work at home too. Mission accomplished! (Translated by Caitlin Smith)