The Art of the Fugue
for 2 actors and 8 musicians
The art of the fugue as a theatrical work of art
"The Art of the Fugue" is considered to be Bach's intellectual masterpiece, although the work tends not to be valued very highly as entertainment by 'normal concert-goers'. But the work must be seen against the background of the Baroque era in which it was written; things do not take place in a vacuum, not even music.
This gave birth to the idea of setting "the art of the fugue" in a theatrical context, on the one hand to help listeners better understand the work by making its musical structures visible, and on the other to convey new sound impressions by offering the music in part as a space installation.
The production is conceived for museums with various kinds of exhibition spaces in which large sculptures are displayed. A connection to the artworks is generated and the visitors must then walk through the "fugue".
The production is accompanied by an actress and an actor who provide introductions to the works and/or play scenes from Bach's life, such as the humorous encounter between Handel and Bach, or a small scene out of the married life of Anna-Maria and Johann Sebastian.
Artes Ensemble
The "Artes-Ensemble" is a chamber music association under the leadership of violinist Martin Haunhorst. The ensemble is comprised of musicians from various NRW symphony orchestras.
This project was made possible by a grant from the Sparkassen-Kulturstiftung Rheinland.
