presented by SPARKASSE OÖ AND LINZ AG
A voyage of discovery from the depths of the ocean to distant galaxies, a whale specially designed for Linz making its rounds above the Danube, seven hot-air balloons floating towards the sky like glowing planets, oversized figures mystically immersed in the action, impressive lighting effects that illuminated the Danube from all sides and 130 extras: who bravely took to the lofty heights without fear of heights thrilled the audience at the Linzer Klangwolke 24 presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG. Eight pioneers and their visions, their research, their expertise, their thirst for discovery and their courage were the focus of PIONEERS 52 Hz, the Linzer Klangwolke 2024, presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG, on Saturday, 7 September at 8:30 pm. Just like the pioneers, who were often ridiculed in the beginning for their ideas, their urge to explore and their questioning of the status quo, today it is the visionaries who open up new paths and teach us time and again how important it is not to rule out the seemingly impossible.
Impressive lighting effects illuminated the Danube from all sides. A sound design by La Fura dels Baus developed especially for the Linz Klangwolke, which also included clear references to Bruckner, provided the musical basis for this year's production based on Gustav Holst's world-famous orchestral suite The Planets. The Linzer Klangwolke 2024, presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG, took to the stage of the Donaupark Linz on 7 September from 8:30 pm with a magical and mystical show, one of the largest open-air productions with free admission.
"THAT WAS SIMPLY MAGICAL FOR US" (CARLUS PADRISSA)
‘We were delighted to welcome almost 100,000 visitors to the Linzer Klangwolke presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG! What an overwhelming experience. Many thanks to La Fura dels Baus and the Klangwolke leading team at LIVA,’ says René Esterbauer, Commercial Director of LIVA, who is delighted with his first Klangwolke in his new role! The multimedia and interactive show, in which oversized figures displayed their fascinating power and moved in harmony with light and sound effects as well as video projections in the middle of the Danube, visibly and audibly thrilled the audience, including applause for scenes and interludes. The internationally active Catalan artists' collective La Fura dels Baus, led by artistic director Carlus Padrissa, once again demonstrated their immense enjoyment of the production after an intensive week and a half of rehearsals on site. He and his leading team have been the heroes of Klangwolke since 2018, when PAX, one of the most successful, impressive and popular Klangwolke productions of all time, took to the stage of the Donaupark. ‘I feel like a child in Linz who has been brought a toy to be allowed to perform this spectacle on this wonderful square as a huge playground with this great tradition. Today was magical,’ says Carlus Padrissa, Artistic Director of La Fura dels Baus. ‘What's more, we at La Fura dels Baus were born in the same year as the Klangwolke.’
Eight pioneers and their visions, their research, their expertise, their thirst for discovery and their courage were at the centre of Linz Klangwolke 24, presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG. With biographical snippets and the appropriate staging details, they appeared on the Danube and on the riverbank in this order: Roger Payne, Pina Bausch, Mileva Marić (later Einstein), Gustav Klimt, Marie Curie, Johannes Kepler, Nikola Tesla and Jane Goodall. Just like these pioneers, who were often ridiculed at first for their ideas, their thirst for research and their questioning of the status quo, today it is the visionaries who open up new paths and teach us time and again how important it is not to rule out the seemingly impossible.
Eight pioneers and their visions, their research, their expertise, their thirst for discovery and their courage were at the centre of Linz Klangwolke 24, presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG. With biographical snippets and the appropriate staging details, they appeared on the Danube and on the riverbank in this order: Roger Payne, Pina Bausch, Mileva Marić (later Einstein), Gustav Klimt, Marie Curie, Johannes Kepler, Nikola Tesla and Jane Goodall. Just like these pioneers, who were often ridiculed at first for their ideas, their thirst for research and their questioning of the status quo, today it is the visionaries who open up new paths and teach us time and again how important it is not to rule out the seemingly impossible.
A whale specially designed for Linz floated above the Danube, its sounds providing the impetus for this year's production and giving the title of the sound cloud the 52 Hertz: an inexplicable ocean echo resounded on the banks of the Danube, perhaps the ‘loneliest whale in the world’ rose impressively from the masses of water - lonely because it sings at such a high frequency that its fellow species cannot hear it. The sound was researched by Roger Payne, whose discoveries have served as the basis for numerous other marine research projects. This 52-hertz tone became the resounding symbol of Sound Cloud 24, and at the same time it is a call for modern explorers to explain, question and explore the inexplicable. Contemporary scientists are still embarking on expeditions to decipher the secrets of the sea, the universe and our evolution.
The visual journey of discovery began in the depths of the ocean and led to distant galaxies, in which life was breathed into oversized figures. Representing the great dancer Pina Bausch, for whom ‘rhythm was the heartbeat of the world’, the 130 extras and dancers moved together with the rays of light. A letter from Albert Einstein to his future wife Milena Marić, accompanied by impressive light shows, made it clear how she was one of the first women to study maths and physics and contribute to his research, and how she was obliged by him to take care of him, the children and the household. With Gustav Klimt, alias Mercury, the winged messenger, ‘The Kiss’ appeared projected in the most dazzling colours on the water screen. With Marie Curie and Johannes Kepler, the scenery moved on to the pioneers of the natural sciences, accompanied by boats orbiting the large ship like planets. Representing the ‘magician of electricity’ Nikola Tesla, a Hyundai Ioniq 5 and its extras rose to lofty heights - also the Austrian premiere for this electric car model. Behavioural scientist Jane Goodall as Neptune concludes the round of pioneers with a crucial question: ‘Here we are, the smartest animal species that has ever lived. So how can we destroy the only planet we have?’
For the impressive finale, all the characters in the visually stunning production came together once again, and the voiceover said: ‘They were all isolated voices that were not heard. Each of them contributed to creating the outlines of the world we live in today.’
When it was founded in 1979, the internationally renowned artists' collective La Fura dels Baus took on new challenges in the field of performing arts and pioneered the reconceptualisation of the two most important aspects of staging: the theatre space and the audience. La Fura has redefined the theatre space by moving it into unconventional spaces - and changing the role of the audience from passive to active. The incessant curiosity and the need to explore new artistic trends have developed a unique language, style and aesthetic in a collective creative process. Today it is called the ‘Furan language’ or ‘Furero’, which is used in several artistic genres such as opera and film, as well as in large-scale events. The ability to combine mysticism, nature and artificiality, crudeness and sophistication, primitivism and technology in each performance has made La Fura dels Baus one of the most successful theatre collectives in the world. The Spaniards are known for their impressive productions of major events such as the opening ceremony of the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. To date, one of the world's most successful theatre collectives can look back on more than 3,500 performances on four of the five continents, which have been experienced live by more than 4 million spectators.
La Fura dels Baus has deliberately opted for a musical setting that will extend into outer space. Gustav Holst's world-famous orchestral suite The Planets, paired with a sound design developed by La Fura especially for Linzer Klangwolke 24, provided the musical basis for this year's production. Surrounded by the sounds of Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, the eight researchers were staged at Klangwolke 24, presented by Sparkasse OÖ and LINZ AG.
Gustav Holst's world-famous suite The Planets is one of the very few compositions to be influenced by astrology. The English composer created a suite for orchestra consisting of seven movements. Each movement is linked to a planet in the solar system and named after it, with Holst omitting the Earth. In 2006, the concept of planets was redefined, as a result of which Pluto lost its status as a planet. Holst did not set the Earth to music either. This left seven planets, which Gustav Holst did not arrange according to their distance from the sun or the earth, but rather in the chronological order of the signs of the zodiac to which the planets are assigned - further evidence of the astrological penetration of the work.
The order almost corresponds to the sequence in the solar system, although Holst swapped Mars and Mercury. He was not interested in astronomical accuracy, but rather in characterising the Roman deities whose names are used for the planets. Mars is thus called ‘the bringer of war’, Venus ‘the bringer of peace’ and Mercury ‘the winged messenger’. The suite for large orchestra The Planets is divided into seven individual movements. With a sound design specially developed by La Fura dels Baus for the Linzer Klangwolke 24, Holst's The Planets will be adapted for the Linzer Klangwolke 2024, turning PIONEERS 52 Hz into a unique total work of art and listening experience.
(original title The Planets or also The Planets Suite op. 32) by Gustav Holst (1874-1934), British composer, composed in 1914-16, duration: approx. 50 minutes, plus sound design specially developed for Klangwolke 24 by La Fura dels Baus and use of further musical elements
Mars, the Bringer of War, (strength, efficiency, destruction, aggression, masculine, stubborn, energetic, strong-willed)
Venus, the Bringer of Peace (peace, beauty, balance, sweetness, passivity, feminine, emotional)
Mercury, the Winged Messenger (speed, busyness, communication, inventive)
Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity (joy, dignity, generosity, self-confidence, cheerful, hopeful, lively, cheerful)
Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age (transience, melancholy, acceptance, patient, enduring)
Uranus, the Magician (upheaval, volatility, virtuosity, inventive, cunning)
Neptune, the Mystic (sensitivity, the ‘higher self’, transition to the beyond, sensitive, mysterious)
Click here for the video stream |
presented by Sparkasse OÖ & LINZ AG
SA, 7. September 2024, 20:30 Uhr
Donaupark Linz
ARTISTIC LEADING TEAM: LA FURA DELS BAUS Carlus Padrissa I La Fura dels Baus, Artistic Director TECHNIC TEAM Bonvehi Art & Events (Production) | and: Mag. (FH) Wolfgang Scheibner | Production Management LIVAKatrin Fink, Mario Proksch | Production LIVA Lukas Eckerstorfer | Design & Graphics Team LIVA/Brucknerhaus Linz |
More than 700 employees, artists, extras, technicians and crew members from many parts of the world were part of the production of PIONEERS 52 Hz. 3 platforms on the Danube, 2 push boats and 13 small boats with a total load capacity of more than 1000 tonnes were used. 5 cranes, 350 spotlights, 14 kilometres of cable, 100 loudspeakers and two 60 m2 LED walls found their place in the production. |
| Linzer Klangwolke 24 was also broadcast live from Linz's Donaupark on 7 September from 20:30. Anyone who missed the performance can watch the stream here. |
Photo and video material from Linzer Klangwolke 24 is available on our social media channels (Facebook, Instagram) and on Flickr.
SABO | TAGE FEMALE EDITION
Just like last year, DJ Pete Sabo provided a unique finale to LINZ AG Nachklangwolke 24 from 9.30 pm in Linz's Donaupark - this time as the SABO|TAGE Female Edition with strong sound support from ten talented female musicians. Together, they brought musical visions and innovative sound experiments from electronic and classical music to the stage. Together, the musicians created an unrivalled musical experience that dissolved the boundaries between tradition and modernity. An extraordinary listening experience that was a wonderful way to dance and celebrate into the night of the spectacular 45th Linzer Klangwolke!
Sparkasse Oberösterreich, LINZ AG, Wiener Städtische Versicherung
Stadt Linz, Internationales Kultur- & Wirtschaftsforum Linz, OÖNachrichten, ORF OÖ, Kronen Zeitung, Kultur Oberösterreich, Bundesministerium für Kunst, Kultur, öffentlicher Dienst & Sport
