European Kitchen Encounters

VR-BANIA

COMPOSER

TEXT & DIRECTOR

VIDEO DESIGNER

SOUND DESIGNER

SET DESIGNER

COSTUME DESIGNER

DRAMATURG

PRODUCTION MANAGER

PERFORMER

Manuel Zwerger

Carmen C. Kruse

Daniel Romero Calderon

Leo Morello

Philipp Lossau

Vera Liulko

Irene Pipicelli

Gesa Maria Kruse

Leo Morello, Anna Piroli

Winner of the CROSS Award (5th Edition)

Conceived by Carmen C. Kruse & Manuel Zwerger.

Commissioned by COCREATIONS, co-produced with

Developmental support by

Ariane Stamatescu, Judith Selenko, Dorian Bouchet, Leonora Scheib, EPK, Matthias Cantini & Dr. Elke Piskernik.

Carmen C. Kruse and Manuel Zwerger achieved the feat of coupling a VR performance with a live experience. VR-BANIA became not only a theatrical but also an epicurean experience for the audience." - Michaela Preiner, European Cultural News

VR-BANIA is a 35-minute Virtual Reality music theater performance by librettist/director Carmen C. Kruse and composer Manuel Zwerger. It features two performers (a singer and a musician), live-cooking, and the community of Verbania in an immersive exploration of the meaning of cooking and identity. Each performance for 15 audience members is followed by a shared risotto meal.

The core of the composition is the live preparation of the dish most mentioned during a series of community interviews, a risotto giallo con salsiccia in Verbania, - its movements are translated into a piece of acoustic, repetitive actions on prepared instruments and - combined with vocal recitation of original text, woven into an intricate exploration of the cities culture and traditions.