"A state? What is that? The state, I call it, where the slow suicide of all - is called life. For the superfluous ones was the state devised! There, where the state ceases - there only commences the man who is not superfluous." Friedrich Nietzsche
Democracy has become a catacomb of the healthy, responsible and normal. The state needs people who are weak enough to become dependent and obedient enough to remain useful. There is no democracy for sickness and dying, no democracy for visions of a rebellious spirit or for the trembling of a weak heart – there is no democracy for nature.
But nature, though accustomed to die, still has the power to resist the brutality of civilization; and civilization, though willing to risk everything for its own self-preservation, still has enough time to stop the terror of the “good and just.”
We dedicate the performance to Friedrich Nietzsche, who suffered a nervous breakdown on 3 January 1889, and a series of strokes after the year 1898, which partially paralysed him. After contracting pneumonia he died on 25 August 1900. The diagnosis of his “mental illness” is still the subject of medical debate.
The performance was created during the Covid-19 pandemic. In February 2021, due to a ban on public events, we entirely adapted the performance for video.
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CREATORS OF THE PERFORMANCE
CONCEIVED BY: Anita Wach and Bojan Jablanovec
CONCEPT & DIRECTION: Bojan Jablanovec
CHOREOGRAPHY: Anita Wach, Kristina Aleksova
FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE: Grega Zorc
Contains fragments from the book by Friedrich Nietzsche: Thus Spoke Zarathustra (Tako je govoril Zaratursta; Slovenska matica, Ljubjana 1984; translated by Janko Moder)
SUPERFLUOUS: Aleksandra Kmetič, Anita Wach, Daniele Tenze, Ena Kurtalić, Jernej Škof, Kristina Aleksova, Loup Abramovici, Mitja Lovše, Neža Blažič, Nina Goropečnik, Olja Grubić, Rok Kravanja, Sara Horžen, Timotej Novaković, Tina Habun (Tjaša Črnigoj), Rea Vogrinčič, Vesna Hauschild and Lena
MUSIC & SOUND DESIGN: Eduardo Raon
Contains also fragments from works by Jacques Offenbach: Orphée aux Enfers – Galop infernal, Aram Khachaturian: Sabre Dance, Jacques Offenbach: Les Contes d’Hoffmann – Les oiseaux dans la charmille, Richard Wagner: Tannhäuser – Overture, Charles Ives: Central Park In The Dark, Antonín Leopold Dvořák: Symphony No. 9, Olivier Messiaen: Turangalîla Symphony, Dean Kay – Kelly Gordon: That’s Life. Creative Commons licensed material: Omnisounddesign: Swan_Signet_Honk and Rustle (edited), Bergen Ships Msfinmarken_Bergen (edited), Jared 333: MiloASMR Wheezing (edited)
VOICES: Gallina, vocal group; Ana Erčulj, conductor
LIGHT DESIGN: Igor Remeta
COSTUMOGRAPHY: Olja Grubić
VIDEO CREATORS
SHOOTING DIRECTOR: Vid Hajnšek
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Rok Kajzer Nagode
CAMERAS: Rok Kajzer Nagode, Vid Hajnšek, Vid Uršič, Špela Škulj
EDITING: Bojan Jablanovec
SOUND DESIGN: Eduardo Raon
LIGHT DESIGN: Igor Remeta
BOOM OPERATOR: Jaka Batič
TECHNICAL CREW: Janko Oven, Andrej Petrovčič, Duško Pušica
Recorded in The Old Power Station Ljubljana, February 2021
TECHNICAL SETUP OF THE INSTALLATION: Stella Ivšek
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER & PUBLIC RELATIONS Sara Horžen
PRODUCER Špela Trošt
PRODUCTION Via Negativa
FINANCIAL SUPPORT Ministry of Culture of Republic of Slovenia and City of Ljubljana