Keeping Them in Their Place

The sinfonic orchestra of University of Arts plays Lorin Maazel‘s version of The Ring Without Words, an abridged summary of the musical highlights of Richard Wagner‘s The Ring of the Nibelung. Keeping Them in Their Place tackles racist aspects of Richard Wagner‘s tetralogy, translates them into the current and futuristic context of sexuality, femininity, racism and genetics to critically question future-oriented tendencies of In-Vitro-Fertilisation and prenatal diagnostics.

Currently, the research field of so-called „g-r-i-n technologies“ (Genetics, robotics, information, and nanotechnologies) is increasing rapidly which demands asking ethical questions about the relationship between body, mind, identity and offspring. These technologies are driving humanity forward in the goal of improving the human body. Prenatal Genetics corresponds to calculable „breeding“ of offspring according to plan. Are we in a new age of human blood stock and hygiene?

Keeping Them in Their Place is a feature-length experimental silent film. As a collaborative project, the film was premiered with orchestral accompaniment at the opening ceremony on 05 May 2017 within the framework of the music festival CRESCENDO at UdK concert hall, Hardenbergstrasse.