Closing Charity Event for the XVIII International AIDS Conference 2010

The ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra will open the evening with the "Hommage à Klaus Nomi" by Austrian composer Olga Neuwirth, who newly arranged her musical piece exclusively for this occasion with an orchestra. Neuwirth’s piece is an interpretation of five songs by Klaus Nomi, an artist born in Bavaria who was one of the first prominent persons dying of AIDS in New York in 1983. During this evening the audience will be presented a “cover version of the cover version” of well-known songs such as, among others, “Wenn ich mir was wünschen darf” by Friedrich Holländer for the film Blauer Engel. In the framework of the concert renowned countertenor Jochen Kowalski will musically approach the artistic figure of Nomi. Cornelius Meister, the future chief conductor of the RSO, will conduct this evening.

After this musical statement, the US-American all-round artist Penny Arcade and world-famous dancer and choreographer Anthony Rizzi will present a dance and performance programme created especially for this occasion. Both artists have been dealing with the theme of AIDS as topic in their creative work for years now. Since the 1990s, Penny Arcade has been a popular discussion and interview partner on the topic “AIDS and ARTS”. Anthony Rizzi, who has already danced with several world-famous dance companies such as the Ballett Frankfurt, the Forsythe Company or the company of Jan Fabre, has also created and danced in a number of successful pieces with his own company.

The proceeds from this evening’s event will go to an institution that supports
peoples living with HIV and diagnosed AIDS performers.

Duration: approx. 120 minutes incl. 20 minutes intermission