WILSONIAN

There will be two Robert Wilson productions in Germany next summer, each flanking the time frame of The Estonian Adventure (hint hint Patron Benefactors). There will be "Saint John Passion," cryptically, in July at "Das Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival" (yah!) and perhaps more exciting in May, "Viktor & Rolf, renowned fashion designers from Amsterdam, will design costumes exclusively for the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden production of the “Freischütz”." Viktor & Rolf on stage! Yes! And speaking of Germany, there should be a Karl Lagerfeld stage production by now, too, shouldn't there?

I love Robert Wilson. Well, I have never seen a Robert Wilson piece, and being a part of the ADD Generation I am actually really against long productions (I have to pee! I want a snack! This part is boring! Time to go!) and he is famous for looooooong productions, but I love his images and it would be phenomenal to see them live. I have a book of images from his shows and they all appear to be just magnificently staged pieces. Awe inspiring, in fact. Long or not, I would really like to have the opportunity to see a Wilson piece and would pay good money to do so (and probably would have to. This is not such an easy proposition, because although he is American, his work is rarely staged here - which I believe is probably a result of both our national tastes and our arts budgets, his works are epic, in every way).


From The Magic Flute, 1995.

From Woyzeck, 2000.
Both images from robertwilson.com.


From Persephone, 2006. Image by Gordon M. Grant for The New York Times.

There is a documentary called "Absolute Wilson" that was released about him last year, in which he comes off as THE despot artist (who is probably impossible to have a normal conversation with), as exactly the kind of director that I could never be, (or want to be,) that tyrannical guru figure, who as a result is a complete fucking genius. He stages a summer workshop every year at his arts center in upstate New York called The Watermill Center where you take little classes and work collaboratively on aspects of Wilson's upcoming productions - with him. I think it would be a very cool opportunity to see someone of his caliber work in-progress, and to have any part of that creative development. Anyone can apply to the program, including you!, here, and it is a free program and application (albeit competitive). I applied last year, and did not get it, but I think I am going to apply again every year until I pull a Susan Lucci and DO get in.