Inspired by philosopher Helmuth Plessner, Nineties creates a moving and evocative opera in which two robots try to empathize with the motivations of humans.
Artificial By Nature, a moving philosophical opera about being human
The 2024 Oerol hit is coming to theaters. The performance Artificial By Nature will premiere again in 2025. Directed by Anne Maike Mertens, Annelinde Bruijs and Yannick Noomen assume the roles of two humanoids. In this minimal opera (composed by Bruijs) the humanoids speculate, with a large dose of humor and philosophy, about being human in the present time. In Artificial By Nature, human life is sung about, admittedly by two robots!
Nineties considers big fundamental questions in this philosophical opera: what does it mean to be human? Why do we do what we do? And what do we stand up for every day? And in Artificial By Nature, two robots try to put themselves into the motives of humans. Nineties draws inspiration from the ideas of philosopher Helmuth Plessner, who argues that humans are artificial by nature. According to him, man is a being capable of both experiencing himself and looking at himself: man looks over his own shoulder, as it were. He is not at home in nature, like an animal, but shapes his own life and the world around him. With the help of "artificialities" such as language, technology and tools, man stunts himself through life. Aimlessly and necessarily, we search for meaning and purpose. Artificial By Nature is a musical ode to plodding man, always on his way to becoming something; himself at best.
