"Sleepless World" by Boris Randzio

“There is less sleep in the world now; the nights are longer, and the days are longer.” Stefan Zweig, 1914.

With these words, Stefan Zweig begins his nightmarish description of the state of people’s minds in 1914, shortly before the start of World War I—a state that bears a frightening resemblance to today’s restless social climate. Set to music by Johann Sebastian Bach, Radiohead, Hania Rani, and Studnitzky, Boris Randzio translates Stefan Zweig’s text into the language of movement, thereby building a bridge to the fears and longings of our time, while also opening up a bolder vision of the future through shared experience and an awareness of the subconscious. *Sleepless World*, which premiered in 2023 in Carinthia, Austria, takes the audience on a journey between the past and the present—and to their true selves.

With music by Bach, Radiohead, Hania Rani, and Studnitzky, the international ensemble—Maria Pommorsky, Brice Asnar, Boris Randzio, Paloma Velez, and Ya-Chun Tsai—presents impressive solos and ensemble moments.

St. Elisabeth Church in Berlin—destroyed during the war—becomes part of the performance. Its history of destruction, loss, and reconstruction merges with *Sleepless World* to create a space of palpable emotion and reflection.

Cast & Program
Boris Randzio, choreography
Maria Pommorsky, Brice Asnar, Paloma Velez, Ya-Chun Tsai, Boris Randzio, dancers
Works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Hania Rani, Studnitzky, and Radiohead
Duration: approx. 70 minutes 
For more information about the piece and Boris Randzio’s work: www.borisrandzio.com

Tickets:
26 €, reduced rate 22 €. Early Bird Ticket 22 € (until May 17) available for online advance purchase via Eventim. Box Office: 29 €, reduced rate: 25€ 
The discount applies to: high school students, college students, apprentices, people with severe disabilities, seniors, and the unemployed

Funding:
The world premiere was funded by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Arts and Culture, the State of Carinthia, and the City of Klagenfurt, and produced in collaboration with the Vada Association.

Organizer:
Boris Randzio in cooperation with Kultur Büro Elisabeth