The world has ended. The only survivors are ORITO, a hyper-realistic Bunraku puppet, and KUKA, an industrial robot. Apparently, without memories or context, they attempt to construct a new reality. They search for meaning in a ruined world where nothing seems to remain. Digging through the rubble of sound and memory, they try to reconstruct what exactly happened – and to discover what, or who, might have survived the blast.
One of the leading roles in ORITO and KUKA / THEY WHO REBUILD is performed by a KUKA robot – an industrial robotic arm commonly used in the automotive industry. In collaboration with Rick van Dugteren from Event Robotics and Maaike Bleeker from Utrecht University, the creators have explored how the KUKA can function as both a musical instrument and a performer. Can the KUKA, for instance, create music on its own? How do you compose music in dialogue with an industrial robot? And what does it mean to create an opera in which a robot sings? By translating mechanical movements into sounds and harmonic structures, the KUKA becomes a full-fledged musician – a robot that sings, moves, and creates a unique sound world. By integrating these industrial sounds and rhythmic structures into a rich musical landscape, the traditional boundaries of music theatre are both challenged and expanded.
ORITO and KUKA / THEY WHO REBUILD offers a glimpse into a long and intensive exploration of the interaction between puppetry and robotics in opera, resulting in a unique musical and visual language. In the final production, old and new will merge: centuries-old techniques from the Bunraku tradition are combined with cutting-edge robotic technology. Through this innovative interdisciplinary collaboration, the production redefines the future of opera.
Composition: Stephanie Pan
Libretto: Lisenka Heijboer Castañón
Production: Ulrike Quade Company, Stichting Modulus, Operafront
Performers: Stephanie Pan, Jolanda van den Berg, Anat Spiegel, Ishtar Bakhtali, Yung Tuan Ku, Roberta Maimone
Stage Direction: Lisenka Heijboer Castañón, Ulrike Quade
In collaboration with: Rick van Dugtheren (Event Robotics), Maaike Bleeker (Utrecht University)
Bunraku Puppet crafted by: Hiroko Ikeda, Watanabe Kazunori