Journal

A sporadic record of what happens in William Kentridge’s studio, in video, words and images

“The Great Yes, The Great No”
Burgtheater, Vienna
16 to 19 July, 2024

The new chamber opera by William Kentridge, commissioned by LUMA Foundation, in partnership with the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is being performed in Vienna as part of the Impulstanz Festival 2024.

Creative team
Concept | Director: William Kentridge
Associate Directors: Nhlanhla Mahlangu | Phala O. Phala
Choral Composer: Nhlanhla Mahlangu
Music Director: Tlale Makhene
Dramaturg: Mwenya Kabwe
Costume Design: Greta Goiris
Set Design: Sabine Theunissen
Lighting Design: Urs Schönebaum | Elena Gui
Projection Editing | Compositing: Žana Marović | Janus Fouché | Joshua Trappler
Cinematography: Duško Marović
Video Control: Kim Gunning

Performed and created by
Performers: Xolisile Bongwana, Hamilton Dhlamini, William Harding, Tony Miyambo, Nancy Nkusi, Luc de Wit
Dancers: Thulani Chauke & Teresa Phuti Mojela
Chorus: Anathi Conjwa, Asanda Hanabe, Zandile Hlatshwayo, Khokho Madlala, Nokuthula Magubane, Mapule Moloi,Nomathamsanqa Ngoma
Musicians: Marika Hughes (Cello), Nathan Koci (Accordion | Banjo), Tlale Makhene (Percussion), Thandi Ntuli (Piano)

Produced by
THE OFFICE performing arts + film
A project of the Centre for the Less Good Idea
Lead commissioner
LUMA Foundation, Arles, France
Co-Commissioners
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Miami USA; CAL Performances, Berkeley USA; Centre d’Art Battat, Montreal Canada.

Foundational commissioning support for the development and creation of “The Great Yes, The Great No” is provided by Brown Arts Institute at Brown University.
Toured in partnership Quaternaire

Photograph: Stella Olivier

“The Great Yes, The Great No”
Burgtheater, Vienna
16 to 19 July, 2024

The new chamber opera by William Kentridge, commissioned by LUMA Foundation, in partnership with the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence is being performed in Vienna as part of the Impulstanz Festival 2024.

Creative team
Concept | Director: William Kentridge
Associate Directors: Nhlanhla Mahlangu | Phala O. Phala
Choral Composer: Nhlanhla Mahlangu
Music Director: Tlale Makhene
Dramaturg: Mwenya Kabwe
Costume Design: Greta Goiris
Set Design: Sabine Theunissen
Lighting Design: Urs Schönebaum | Elena Gui
Projection Editing | Compositing: Žana Marović | Janus Fouché | Joshua Trappler
Cinematography: Duško Marović
Video Control: Kim Gunning

Performed and created by
Performers: Xolisile Bongwana, Hamilton Dhlamini, William Harding, Tony Miyambo, Nancy Nkusi, Luc de Wit
Dancers: Thulani Chauke & Teresa Phuti Mojela
Chorus: Anathi Conjwa, Asanda Hanabe, Zandile Hlatshwayo, Khokho Madlala, Nokuthula Magubane, Mapule Moloi,Nomathamsanqa Ngoma
Musicians: Marika Hughes (Cello), Nathan Koci (Accordion | Banjo), Tlale Makhene (Percussion), Thandi Ntuli (Piano)

Produced by
THE OFFICE performing arts + film
A project of the Centre for the Less Good Idea
Lead commissioner
LUMA Foundation, Arles, France
Co-Commissioners
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Miami USA; CAL Performances, Berkeley USA; Centre d’Art Battat, Montreal Canada.

Foundational commissioning support for the development and creation of “The Great Yes, The Great No” is provided by Brown Arts Institute at Brown University.
Toured in partnership Quaternaire

Photograph: Stella Olivier
...

PERFORMANCE TONIGHT
“Ursonate” by Kurt Schwitters is to be performed by William Kentridge as part of the Impulstanz Festival.
Odeon Theater, Vienna
July 17, 2024 at 19h30

Schwitters’ “Ursonate” (1922 - 1932) is widely regarded as the greatest sound poem of the 20th century. Schwitters also made Dadaist collages and visual artworks but the “Ursonate” is perhaps his most important and influential work.

PERFORMANCE TONIGHT
“Ursonate” by Kurt Schwitters is to be performed by William Kentridge as part of the Impulstanz Festival.
Odeon Theater, Vienna
July 17, 2024 at 19h30

Schwitters’ “Ursonate” (1922 - 1932) is widely regarded as the greatest sound poem of the 20th century. Schwitters also made Dadaist collages and visual artworks but the “Ursonate” is perhaps his most important and influential work.
...

William Kentridge & Homi K. Bhabha in Conversation
La Grande Halle, Parc des Ateliers
LUMA Foundation, Arles
July 10, 11:30AM

Following the opening of the solo exhibition “Je n’attends plus” at LUMA Foundation, Arles and the world premiere of his new chamber opera “The Great Yes, The Great No”, Kentridge will have a conversation with Homi K. Bhabha at La Grande Halle.

Admission free but booking required:
https://tickets.luma.org/fr/1456-evenement/8650-conversation-entre-william-kentridge-et-homi-k-bhabha/info

William Kentridge & Homi K. Bhabha in Conversation
La Grande Halle, Parc des Ateliers
LUMA Foundation, Arles
July 10, 11:30AM

Following the opening of the solo exhibition “Je n’attends plus” at LUMA Foundation, Arles and the world premiere of his new chamber opera “The Great Yes, The Great No”, Kentridge will have a conversation with Homi K. Bhabha at La Grande Halle.

Admission free but booking required:
https://tickets.luma.org/fr/1456-evenement/8650-conversation-entre-william-kentridge-et-homi-k-bhabha/info
...

“A Night with William Kentridge”
Théâtre Antique, Arles
July 4, 2024
9:45PM - 11:30PM

An evening screening of Kentridge films - including “Second-hand Reading”, “Sibyl”, “Tide Table”, “Tango for Page Turning” and others - introduced and contextualised by the artist at the Théâtre Antique, Arles.  Presented by Les Rencontres d’Arles de la Photographie with support from the LUMA Foundation, Arles

“A Night with William Kentridge”
Théâtre Antique, Arles
July 4, 2024
9:45PM - 11:30PM

An evening screening of Kentridge films - including “Second-hand Reading”, “Sibyl”, “Tide Table”, “Tango for Page Turning” and others - introduced and contextualised by the artist at the Théâtre Antique, Arles. Presented by Les Rencontres d’Arles de la Photographie with support from the LUMA Foundation, Arles
...

First music rehearsal for “The Great Yes, The Great No” at LUMA Foundation in Arles.

The cast, crew and creative team have gathered for rehearsals in advance of the world premiere of this new chamber opera on the 7th of July, 2024 at @luma_arles  in partnership with @festivalaix 

Cover photo: Lynn Koek

First music rehearsal for “The Great Yes, The Great No” at LUMA Foundation in Arles.

The cast, crew and creative team have gathered for rehearsals in advance of the world premiere of this new chamber opera on the 7th of July, 2024 at @luma_arles in partnership with @festivalaix

Cover photo: Lynn Koek
...

The plaster version of “Apron”, a new monumental bronze being made with @louis0livier and the team from @workhorsebronze

The plaster version of “Apron”, a new monumental bronze being made with @louis0livier and the team from @workhorsebronze ...