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In cooperation with the Danish National Choir and Schauspiel Köln Hotel Pro Forma presents a visible musical manoeuvre about Hans Christian Andersen. The title "I Only Appear to be Dead" refers to the handwritten note Hans Christian refers to the handwritten note Hans Christian Andersen placed on his bedside table at night, due to his fear of being buried alive. But the title could just as well refer to the considerable attention devoted to his person and work at the present time.



For most of his life, Andersen recorded his experiences in diary form, as a conscious form of staged documentarism. With the historical, social and technological development of 19th century Denmark and Europe as a thought provoking background, he was constantly travelling in order to gain new impressions. Many journeys and extended stays abroad did not mean, however, that he ever lost sight of his native country or himself. The performance focuses on the writer himself, using material from the gifted accounts and characteristic comments of his diaries.

"I Only Appear to be Dead" exposes the frightening aspects of Andersen's journeys and exposes the frightening aspects of Andersen's journeys and fantasies. Concrete descriptions and comments turn into a series of scenic situations in several versions. Hints of a sequence change into polyphonic tales of light and shadow.
The long, narrow stage (29m x 4m) follows the length of the room. Depth and distance between audience and performers is replaced by proximity and a panoramic experience of space. The spectators follow the figures in the outstretched landscape with a gaze extending from one side to the other. The music, composed for a mixed a capella choir of twelve voices, transforms the diary entries into a sound-image modulated by polyphonic tones. Live song and electronically adapted voice-sounds stand out from each other, merge and set boundaries. Together, they form suggestive pieces of proximity and distance. Within the acoustically spatial architecture, the childlike nature and metaphysical dread of the writer collide.

World premiere in Germany: 9 April 2005, Halle Kalk, Schauspiel Köln, Cologne
Performances 11 - 15 April 2005
Premiere in Denmark: 18 August 2005, Christiansborg Ridehus, Copenhagen
Performances 19 August - 3 September 2005
Premiere in Italy: 22 September, La Biennale di Venezia, Teatro alle Tese, Venice
Performances 22 - 23 September 2005

Tickets

Halle Kalk, Schauspiel Köln, Köln, Germany
9 - 16 April 2005
Ticket Hotline: +49 221 221 28 400
www.buehnenkoeln.de

Christiansborg Ridehus, Christiansborg Ridebane, Copenhagen K, Denmark
18 August - 3 September 2005
Tickets will be available from April 2005
Ticket Hotline: +45 70 15 65 65 (daily 10.00 am. - 9.00 pm.)
www.billetnet.dk

La Biennale di Venezia, Teatro alle Tese, Venice, Italy
22 - 23 September 2005
Tickets will be available from April 2005
www.labiennale.org

Hotel Pro Forma
www.hotelproforma.dkwww.ionlyappeartobedead.dk

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