SIBJA
SIBJA is a transdisciplinary art collective founded in 2016 by Emmanuel (artistic direction, stage design, performance) and Valentine Michaud (artistic direction, saxophone, performance). The two siblings collaborated with multiple musicians and dancers to create the performance trilogy WAITING FOR AMON (2016-2018), which was granted the Nico Kaufmann award in 2018. Its three chapters GLITCH, CAIRNS and SHOUT were performed at the Theater der Künste, Johanneskirche and Theater Rigiblick (Zurich), and at the Festival de la Cité in Lausanne. In 2020, they premiere the short movie BOTH at the ELIA biennial.
BOTH: LE DIALOGUE DE L'OMBRE DOUBLE (2020)
BOTH is a 20 minutes film based on a saxophone arrangement of the "Dialogue de l'Ombre Double” by Pierre Boulez (1985), itself inspired by “Le Soulier de Satin” (Paul Claudel, 1929). In this poetic dance-based interpretation of the piece (arranged for saxophone) two worlds are brought to cross, meet and merge. The film was premiered at the ELIA Biennial 2020, hosted by the Zurich University of the Arts.
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Et la reconnaissance de lui avec elle ne fut pas plus prompte que le choc et la soudure aussitôt de leurs âmes et de leurs corps sans une parole et que mon existence sur le mur. Maintenant je porte accusation contre cet homme et cette femme par qui j’ai existé une seconde seule pour ne plus finir et par qui j’ai été imprimée sur la page de l’éternité ! (Paul Claudel, Le soulier de Satin, 1929)
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Emmanuel Michaud (artistic direction, stage & costume design, performance as Rodrigue), Valentine Michaud (artistic direction, saxophones, costume design, performance as Prouhèze), Neckar Doll (camera), Teresa Rotemberg (choreography), Leandro Gianini (sound), Jan Humbel (lights), Alice D'Angelo, Alieke Vinkenborg, Beatrice Castaldo, Dave Lankhorst, Diane Gemsch, Francine Hoenner, Gion Treichler, Lavinia Tinagli, Naomi Kamihigashi, Sophie Van Doorn, Viviane Von Gunten (dance, the Shadows).
WAITING FOR AMON III: SHOUT (2018)
The WAITING FOR AMON performance trilogy​ engages performers on stage in a close interaction with modular stage designs. In SHOUT, two characters are encountering each other in an abstract landscape of fabrics, manipulated like puppets. SHOUT was premiered in 2018 at the Zurich university of the Arts, before being played at the Festival de la Cité (Lausanne, 2019) and at the Theater Rigiblick (Zurich, 2020).
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Emmanuel Michaud (artistic direction, stage design, performance), Valentine Michaud (artistic direction, saxophones, costume design, performance), Charles Ng, Amit Dubester and Joan Jordi Oliver Arcos (saxophones, performance), Leandro Gianini (sound), Jan Humbel (lights). Repertoire: “Secret Procession” (Antonin Servière, 2015), “In Freundschaft” (Karlheinz Stockhausen, 1977), “Le Dialogue de l'Ombre Double” (Pierre Boulez, 1985), “XAS” (Iannis Xenakis, 1987). Photos and videos by Akvile Sileikate.
WAITING FOR AMON II: CAIRNS (2017)
The WAITING FOR AMON performance trilogy​ engages performers on stage in a close interaction with modular stage designs. In CAIRNS, a performer and four saxophonists evolve between cubic blocks - the power relation between those actors blurring at the rhythm of minimalist music. CAIRNS was premiered in 2017 at the ZHdK Highlights (Zurich), before being played at 83 Musikwoche in Braunwald (2018) and at Johanneskirche (Zurich, 2019).
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Emmanuel Michaud (artistic direction, stage design, performance), Valentine Michaud (artistic direction, saxophones, costume design, performance), Charles Ng, Amit Dubester and Joan Jordi Oliver Arcos (saxophones, performance). Repertoire: “Saxophone Quartet” (Philip Glass, 1995), “New York Counterpoint” (Steve Reich, 1995), “Landscapes” (Joan Jordi Oliver Arcos, 2017). Photos and videos by Akvile Sileikate.
WAITING FOR AMON I: GLITCH (2016)
The WAITING FOR AMON performance trilogy​ engages performers on stage in a close interaction with modular stage designs. In GLITCH, performer Emmanuel Michaud paints the stage explored by two saxophonists and two dancers. CAIRNS was premiered in 2016 at the Theater der Künste (Zurich).
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Emmanuel Michaud (artistic direction, stage design, performance), Valentine Michaud (artistic direction, saxophones, costume design, performance),, Amit Dubester (saxophones, performance), Naomi Kamihigashi & Luca Tomasoni (dance), Alexis Rebeté (live electronics), Jan Humbel (lights). Repertoire: “Sonata for two Clarinets” (Francis Poulenc, 1918). Photos by Akvile Sileikate, Video by Neckar Doll.