170531 VU Intercultural Approaches in Robert Wilson's Global Theater (2014S)

Robert Wilson, born in Waco, Texas, has studied architecture in New York and became intrigued in the performing arts through Modern Dance, experiencing, among others, the work of Merce Cunningham. As a theater maker, he is an autodidact. In the 1970es he began his experimental work, at first creating so called "Silent Plays" without music or text. Soon, he gained international acclaim. "The Life and Time of Joseph Stalin" was shown in Brazil as early as 1972; Wilson has returned to that country on numerous occasions since. The opera "Einstein on the Beach", developed 1976 in New York City together with Philip Glass, was greeted with sensational enthusiasm when shown in Paris. A revival of the original production opened in 2012 and is currently touring worldwide. Wilson has started long ago reaching out beyond the so-called "Western World". His production "KA MOUNTAIN AND GUARDenia TERRACE" with a total duration of one week performance time was created 1972 in Shiraz, Iran. Since his early works, the author, stage director, set and light designer, performer, visual artist, video- and filmmaker Robert Wilson has had a strong impact on the performing arts worldwide with his productions conceived at first apart from the literary theater. His way of thinking has always aimed at a global scale. Thus, he produced the different parts of "The CIVIL warS", planned to be performed as a whole at the opening of the Olympic Games 1984 in Los Angeles, in six different countries. Throughout the last decades Wilson has been sought after also for productions within the field of classical works, be it drama or opera. In the same time, he never stopped questioning the canon by creating productions crossing the boundaries of a single genre drawing repeatedly on traditions outside Europe and the US, e.g. the East Asian theater. As an example "I La Galigo" can be stated; this production was based on an Indonesian epos and performed by Indonesian artists. Another example is "1433", a production combining US-American Jazz music and Japanese theater. Intercultural is also the approach Wilson is pursuing at the Watermill Center for the Performing Arts. This laboratory, located on Long Island (NY), was established over 20 years ago and today houses the collection of the artist containing art work and cult objects from all five continents. The "Summer Program" held each year at the Watermill Center enables up to 100 participants from all over the world to work on their own projects and to take part in the preparation and development of Robert Wilson's projects.