Nathalie Brum - Gesang der Maschinen

Gesang der Maschinen

Hidden behind the scenes of the Wuppertal Opera House lies a world of machinery—air conditioning units, ventilation systems, stage machinery, dimmer cabinets, server rooms—all essential for the opera's operation yet inaudible to the audience. Over several years, Brum recorded these sounds, often dismissed as mere noise, to create an expansive, abstract composition. This ten-channel sound installation, accompanied by video projections, was presented both inside and on the façades of the opera house, transforming the building into a living instrument. Groups of 12 people were guided for 45 hours thorugh the backstage area of the opera to experience machines, sounds, projections. The traditional boundary between hidden internal processes and representative areas became blurry.

The installation challenges the boundaries between public and private, art and infrastructure. Animated visuals, inspired by DIN-standard symbols used in HVAC (= heating-ventilation-airconditioning) planning, were projected onto the building's surfaces, while video footage showcased the opera's machinery shortly before the July 2021 floods. By bringing these hidden processes to the forefront, the work questions: Who gets to hear what? How public is the opera? Where does the stage end, and where does everyday life begin?

Multichannel Soundwalk with Audiovisual Projections in public space
August 28–29, 2021 – Wuppertal Opera House
Duration: 45 minutes per session

Performance History

World Premiere: Wuppertal Opera House, August 28–29, 2021