Alternate Title The Forest: A new work by David Byrne and Robert Wilson
Premiere US Premiere
Production Language English
Country of Origin Germany
Description This four-hour work of musical theater is an updated version of the Gilgamesh epic, recast in 19th Century Germany. The Forest was developed by Robert Wilson, in collaboration with David Byrne, who composed the orchestral music that played almost continuously throughout the show. Choreography for the work was provided by Suzushi Hanayagi. Other frequent Wilson collaborators, including Heiner Müller (text), Hans Peter Kuhn (audio collage), and Frida Parmeggiani (costumes), also contributed to the production. This work was commissioned by the city of West Berlin, and premiered at the city’s Theater der Freie Volksbühne, on October 15, 1988, with subsequent performances in Munich and the Next Wave Festival at BAM. Originally intended to be both a theater and a video piece, Byrne also created an unproduced screen treatment of the work.
Identifier 1988f.00448
