Tourbillons

A woman is sitting at the table surrounded by two screens. Two small cameras depict her figure. Georges Aperghis’ “Tourbillons” went through different stages before reaching its present form. The starting point was a homonymous composition-performance in 1989. Six pieces bearing the same name were interchanged with texts written by the composer. This was then turned into five pieces under the more general title “Calmes Plats” (1992). At a later stage, the work consisted of eleven compositions; these were complemented with texts/fragments by Olivier Cadiot, based on the vocal sounds of the music pieces. In 2003, the direction and images were revised within a very short time. Daniel Levy’s video was added, transforming what was initially a rather dark work to a playful, joyful, and bright work.

The text is like a puzzle, composed by the various and different aspects of a person, the numerous thoughts, and self-dispersal. “Tourbillons” refers to a complex and multifaceted character, revealing a kind of mental multiplicity. It is a story about loneliness.

The work has an unusual form, consisting of quick interchanges between song, speech, and text. An exceedingly demanding work (in terms of skills), “Tourbillons” is a portrait-performance of an actress-singer that transgresses language.

A small number of phonemes is constantly rearranged, making ‘words’, shapes, and phrases. Is there a meaning? The answer is given by the spectators themselves, through the associations they make and the way they receive, understand, and group what they experience through the senses.