forgetme@not
The central question concerns the possibilities and limits of love and sex through electronic communication.
An E-mail correspondence, consisting of texts, links, pictures and sounds form the multi-media score which presents the public with the fragmented image of a love story starting as a harmless game and becoming an obsession:
A man and a woman contact each other for the first time at a chat-site. In front of the public eyes of net users this incidental meeting develops into a passionate affair. In spite of their provocative permissiveness - the two take on various roles, transgressing taboos and achieving extremes - the relationship adheres to strict rules. Any kind of telecommunication is allowed, whereas the surrender of true identities or a meeting in real life with actual physical contact are forbidden. A blackout erases all information and unexpectedly ends the relationship.
Associative images and sounds at the limits of perception initiates a process of reconstruction which attempts to clear up the identity of the protagonists and give possible solutions for the end of the relationship: Is the data erased as a result of a system failure or does the affair transgress the borders of the media?
Contextually Karlbauer's media and composional concept describes as blanking. (A total loss of human consciencenous as a result of excessive data consumerism.) The idea is realised through a media mix of live performance, live audio processing, video projection and the interactive confrontation with the place of performance.
©rhiz offers the ideal reference as "location for the dawning information-oriented society " for this project. The futuristic technical equipment and the glass exteriors makes for a fitting atmosphere for the two main characters who perform in seperate boxes which are installed on the outside of the glass panels. An observational situation with the voyeuristic characteristics of a
peep-show is thereby created. The public can follow the activities of the protagonists who communicate without eye - or physical contact, quasi autistic and simultaneously most intensively, through the glass surface.
Karlbauer has suceeded in gathering a considerable team. A promising evening is guaranteed by the co-operation of the reknowned British musician and performer Philip Jeck who enjoys international acclaim because of his "Vinyl Requiem" (a performance with 180 Dansette record players, 1993). Numerous record releases and performances of the last 18 years have established him as a pioneer of an art form which allows old record players and vinyl records to become independend sound generators through sophisticated manipulation. He acts as the DJ in
The personality Didi bruckmayr embodies the part of the male protagonist. He relishes the physical and emotional challenges of being a frontman (lead singer of "Fuckhead", "Wipe Out") and performer.
His female partner, Roswitha Schreiner, is not only a singer and actress, but is also responsible for the costume design for the MOOP productions.
Doris Ebner and Roderich Madl from "Pilottanzt" are responsible for the choreographical interpretation of the live actions which make great demands on the protagonists as it is to be enacted in a limited space.
The programming of the IRCAM workstation for the live audio processing as well as the sound design is executed by Wolfgang Musil.
Klaus Karlbauer carries the responsibility for the concept, space design and the direction.
The Team:
Klaus Karlbauer and his MOOP (Movie n' Opera) - known for risky cross-overs between traditional theatrical forms and new media has designed an unconventional love story with the equivocal title
forgetme@not
for the fashionable meeting place ©rhiz and its gracefully futuristic setting.
The multi-media artist sees his latest work as an arranged game for humans and machines, in which elements of the classical love story and melodrama are confronted with the realisation methods of computer technology and telecommunication. Kitsch and technology are fused into an exciting synthesis.
Female protagonist:
Roswitha Schreiner
Male protagonist:
Didi Bruckmayr
DJ:
Philip Jeck
Special Appearance:
Gen Seto
Musical composition:
Philip Jeck, Wolfgang Musil & Klaus Karlbauer
Choreography:
Doris Ebner & Roderich Madl
Visuals:
Frau Faust Film
VJ:
Ulrich Kaufmann
Lighting design:
Larry Busch
ISWP programming &
Sound design:Wolfgang Musil
Sound engineer:
Hans Doellinger
Costumes:
Roswitha Schreiner
Concept, space design & Direction:
Klaus Karlbauer
Production:
Movie n' Opera (moop)
Klaus Karlbauer C 1998
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