MEDIATHEK

Breakdown is an opera in three Acts for soloists, (optional) chorus and orchestra. Four performance artists share the stage but are distinct in time and space. Marina Abramovic performing her piece 'Rhythm 0' has placed 72 objects on a table including knives, whips, a gun and a bullet. There is a sign on the table saying, "There are seventy-two objects on the table that may be used on me as desired. I am the object.” Michael Landy is destroying all his possessions in a grinder. Barry le Va is running from side to side in a gallery, banging himself off the walls in his 'Velocity Piece No. 2'. These three pieces intercut with each other in the first act. Landy's mother is against the destruction of her son's possessions and in particular, a coat that was left to him by his father. Landy has to defend himself against criticism from his own assistants and members of the public. Abramovic explains herself to an assistant and then remains completely passive as the people who attend her event start to use the objects on the table to hurt her. The act ends with a man threatening to cut her face with a blade. The second Act begins with Joseph Beuys, a fourth artist, explaining pictures to a dead hare. During this Act, Landy continues to defend himself. His mother enters and tries to retrieve the coat. Abramovic is subjected to even greater danger and Barry le Va continues to bash himself off the walls of the gallery getting more bloodied all the time. The act ends with all three pieces reaching their climax. A man puts together a gun and a bullet from the table and is stopped when he puts the loaded weapon in her mouth. Le Va collapses and Landy, naked and posessionless destroys his father's coat. The third act sees the boundaries of time and place removed and all artists and participants inhabit the same space.The artists are forced by the crowd to defend their position and their art. The Act ends with Joseph Beuys singing prayerfully that the work 'Cannot rest'.

Breakdown is scored for orchestra and has 16 solo parts with a chorus that can be made up of the soloists if required. The music is designed to follow the emotion of the stories.