"Unruhiges Wohnen"
Uneasy Living

„By no means does this choreography portray Elfriede Jelinek‘s writing in a naturalistic manner nor does it adhere to the composer‘s soundscape.

The hard and cold dance attempts to play the part of an adversiary speaking against the author‘s voice. The dance solely employs the unrepeatable relentless coldness of movement in transferring the text to a parallel universe of the body.

Dance as dance, being what it is, and comprised of techniques without emotion, corresponds to the subject of the text from the composer and audeince‘s points of view, those who have never seen or experienced the events of the story told. Dance that tells the story of the indescribable. Void of any expression, the harder the sound of the words become through which Jelinek‘s voice carves a new and different space based on movement.

This work is dedicated to the memory of the composer, who passed away ten years ago.“ (Bernd R. Bienert)

Elfriede Jelinek‘s text Unruhiges Wohnen has been written and recorded specifically for the ensemble composed of former star soloists of the Vienna State Opera Ballet company. The music has been composed and realized by Roman Haubenstock-Ramati. With this new version, the former directer of the Zurich Opera Ballet will launch intelligent ballet in Vienna‘s Akademietheater.


Konzept, Regie, Choreografie und Video : Bernd Bienert
Tanz / live: Simona Noja, Rebecca Gladstone, Boris Nebyla,
Fabien Voranger, Jürgen Wagner
Tanz / Video : Karl Schreiner
Text: Elfriede Jelinek
Musik: Roman Haubenstock-Ramati