INNEN (2024)

The tripartite structure of the libretto allowed me to unveil this journey in an artistic form. In the first part, the choir repeats each syllable with overwhelming intensity. The singers draw the audience into a steady flow of syllables. This creates a tangible sense of the inner tension I once lived with, a symbolic echo of that paralyzing barrier.

In the second part, this tension begins to shift. Here, a prayer rises – a moment of healing and release, an approach toward inner peace. Yet, this path is not linear.

In the third part, the repetition of syllables nearly vanishes. The presence of the choir fades at the edges of the stage. But a faint sound remains – the soft whisper of an E-bow on a piano string. It symbolizes the lingering, though subdued, tension that accompanies those who have once been marked by a speech impediment. These sounds are like a shadow that does not fade, but quietly walks beside us, ever present.

Vito Žuraj

The libretto of INNEN (INSIDE), crafted by Händl Klaus, delves into the profound connections between physical limitations and creative expression. It draws inspiration from the life of Claude Monet, whose progressive loss of sight deeply influenced his art. The world premiere of the work was initially planned for 2020, to mark the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven’s birth. His struggle with deafness was the original spark for the theme of the libretto. However, the premiere had to be postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Still, the theme transcended these temporal barriers and struck a personal chord within me.

In both Monet’s battle with his diminishing sight and Beethoven’s hearing impairment, I saw a reflection of my own journey – that of a child who endured years of severe stuttering. This stutter was like an invisible wall, making every word a painful and exhausting effort. It was only after a long, relentless struggle and with the help of an autosuggestion therapy recommended by my dear mother, that I managed to loosen these chains. Yet even today, the resonance of that time lingers, a mark that weaves through my entire existence.

The tripartite structure of the libretto allowed me to unveil this journey in an artistic form. In the first part, the choir repeats each syllable with overwhelming intensity. The singers draw the audience into a steady flow of syllables. This creates a tangible sense of the inner tension I once lived with, a symbolic echo of that paralyzing barrier.

In the second part, this tension begins to shift. Here, a prayer rises – a moment of healing and release, an approach toward inner peace. Yet, this path is not linear.

In the third part, the repetition of syllables nearly vanishes. The presence of the choir fades at the edges of the stage. But a faint sound remains – the soft whisper of an E-bow on a piano string. It symbolizes the lingering, though subdued, tension that accompanies those who have once been marked by a speech impediment. These sounds are like a shadow that does not fade, but quietly walks beside us, ever present.

Vito Žuraj