European Kitchen Encounters

VR-BANIA

COMPOSER

TEXT & DIRECTOR

VR DESIGNER

SET DESIGNER

COSTUME DESIGNER

PERFORMER

Manuel Zwerger

Carmen C. Kruse

Dani Hinestroza

Philipp Lossau

Vera Liulko

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, Mariana Carnovali, Gesa Maria Kruse, Matthias Cantini & Dr. Elke Piskernik.

VR-BANIA is a 35-minutes 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.

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.