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First reading of new work from Elfriede Jelinek


Director and associate artist Nicolas Stemann has a special bond with (play)writer and Nobel prize winner Elfriede Jelinek. In Sonne, he gets to work together with musicians and actors on a new text she wrote and will present the result afterwards.


Jelinek is known for ‘her musical flow of voices and counter-voices in novels and plays that with extraordinary linguistic zeal reveal the absurdity of society’s clichés and their subjugating power.’ With plenty of room for improvisation, Stemann and his actors put their own spin on it.


Jelinek’s new text Sonne views the world and human beings from the perspective of the sun. Humans find themselves in a tight spot between forest fires on one side and tsunamis on the other. Climate disasters that were caused by humans. Stemann: ‘Jelinek writes a text in which she views and mocks humans from the perspective of the sun. She describes things that we find hard to imagine, but it is important that we try anyway.’


On view is a foretaste of the world premiere of Jelinek’s new text, which will take place in December 2022 at Schauspielhaus Zurich.


This programme is part of the overarching programme Manifesto for the living in a time of extinction.

Manifesto for the living in a time of extinction

Manifesto for the living in a time of extinction

Manifesto for the living in a time of extinction

This programme is part of the overall programme Manifesto for the living in a time of extinction. This is an eight-day programme about climate change in a greenhouse on the roof of a city building. In relation to this manifesto, art will not only be made about the climate crisis, but we will also ask ourselves how we might, in an inclusive manner, take action. 

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Meet Nicolas Stemann

Meet Nicolas Stemann

Meet Nicolas Stemann

The German theatre director Nicolas Stemann is this year's associate artist, together with singer Angélique Kidjo. During the festival in June, his works Kein Licht (2011/2012/2017), Contre-enquêtes and Der Besuch der alten Dame will be presented.

Read the interview here.