Our productions - mostly our own works - have been listed here in the archives. This is a 'living archive', meaning that some of these productions will occasionally be reprised.
Print-quality photos are available upon request.

Acousmatic Dance Floor featuring Cornelia Scheuer

Charismatic Viennese dancer Cornelia Scheuer proved that paralyzed legs are no barrier when it comes to impressive movement imagery. She drew circles, sounded out boundaries, stretched rhythmically into a malleable metal ring, dancing seemingly playfully with flexible fence bars. The performance featured three impressive compositions by Dieter Kaufmann. Cornelia Scheuer subjected herself to the force of the sounds, grappling against them, and letting herself be driven, submerged, coordinated, and rebelled by them. It was a close relationship with ups and downs. Ulrich Kaufmann projected the performance live on to a large screen in the background.

Dance: Cornelia Scheuer
Music: Dieter Kaufmann
Projection: Ulrich Kaufmann

A production by LizArt.
In cooperation with the Linz Festival sicht:wechsel

The Festival of Possibilities

Art opens up spaces for school students and apprentices, providing unique opportunities to (re)invent themselves and discover their own skills, talents and potential. Together with artists, they created theater productions, dance performances, singing performances, and media art during workshops, bringing their productions to the stage at the Circus of Knowledge. The young people were able to find their voice, a sense of expression and creativity, and practice their social skills together as part of a group. They experienced a sense of independence, self-confidence, courage, the joy of learning, and creating something together. The activities sparked their curiosity and they had fun of expressing themselves creatively. The Festival of Possibilities was a way to share the results with fellow classmates, teachers, and apprentices, applauding each other and reaping the rewards for their hard work.

Participating schools: MS 6 Vogelweide, MS 5 Otto-Glöckel-Schule, MS 11 Diesterwegschule, MS 23 Ebelsberger Schule, PTS Linz-Stadt, PTS Urfahr, LSZ for the Visual and Hearing Impaired, and apprentices at voestalpine

Artists: Gottfried Joel Kwete Bope, Natalia Hurst, Christine Maria Krenn, Veronika Maidukova, Lucia Mauri, Ilona Roth, Ethem Saygieder-Fischer. Magdalena Schlesinger, Karin Schmid, Joel Teodoro

The project is funded by the Upper Austrian Chamber of Labor's educational fund.

Thank you to Dorftv and LM.Media for documenting the performance.

Anne Bennent & TEXTA

During the first part of the evening, well-known actress Anne Bennent read diary entries written by Ukrainians living in the war zone.
During the second part of the evening, the legendary Linz hip-hop band, TEXTA, performed on stage. Texta has been part of the local music scene for almost 30 years and it's hard to imagine the local scene without them. Texta inspires the audience by being openly critical of society as well as being self-reflective, all served up with a good portion of Austrian "schmäh".

A fundraiser as part of the focus on war, peace, democracy, and having to flee and become a refugee.
Donations from this event support the MORE Initiative for Ukrainian refugees.

ARTS FOR HEALTH

ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA invites stakeholders in art and health - including health professionals, artists, advocates, and other interested parties - to learn more about the impact of actively practicing art as a beneficial process. They focus on the body as an instrument and a system of resonance. Participants are introduced to the topic by means of presentations based on scientific findings, an interactive program featuring dance and music, and insight into the White Paper Arts and Health in Austria, opens an external URL in a new window.
As a cultural policy objective, we focus on the core social importance of art and culture and its status as a cross-cutting issue involving the cultural, health and social sectors.

ARTS for HEALTH AUSTRIA is funded as part of the call Perspektiven. Innovation. Kunst. by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Arts, Culture, Civil Service and Sport.

Aufhorchen (Listen Up) - Special Guest "Mosaik" at the Circus of Knowledge

This concert is a double premiere: The chamber music series, Mosaik, takes  place in the acoustically ideal surroundings at the Circus of Knowledge! Music from the Romantic period correlates to historical texts in regard to the highly contemporary topic of climate change.
The texts have been compiled by Dr. Falko Schnicke (JKU, Institute for Modern and Contemporary History) and read by actor Nora Dirisamer.
Afterwards, members of the audience and the musicians have an opportunity to get to know each other and chat.

MOSAIK. Chamber Music - Bruckner Orchestra Linz

For the past 15 years, the chamber music series, Mosaik, has become the heart of the Bruckner Orchestra Linz (BOL). As if under a magnifying glass, you can observe the musicians doing what they love best - making music together! There are highlights, unusual pieces and treasures from the chamber music literature, providing a high level of personal insight into their world. While the almost inexhaustible instrumental range of the BOL allows for a great variety of instrumentations, the intimate chamber music setting allows both the musicians and the audience discover one another anew. Social dialogue is effortless: people from diverse nations communicate without words and form a large mosaic as part of the shared musical experience. As part of the 2022/2023 anniversary season, the series will be staged at different city contexts and also played at the Circus of Knowledge for the first time!

The Bruckner Orchestra Linz, opens an external URL in a new window

The Circus of Well-Being

This production was created during a residency as part of our STARTS project, GRIN.

Suitable for ages 12+

Our world today is a minefield of countless challenging situations and questions. As we embark on a search of well-being and joy, key questions include, "How can young people cope with these challenges, what gives them a sense of control in their lives, and what serves as a source of strength?". The Circus of Well-Being takes a light-hearted, playful look at what makes us happy and applies the 'tools' that art provides us with: music, theater, dance, performance figures, and technology.

Experience a sense of wonder and well-being as you discover the Circus of Knowledge and the JKU's unique oasis of well-being.
The artistic performances will alter our perception, allowing us to rediscover and redefine our personal relationship to our immediate surroundings, to our fellow human beings, and to the world.

Join in and explore the magic of being and the opportunities life presents us with. Dance and break the mold, challenge boundaries and sing out into the world together!
A place isn’t just where you are; it’s what you make of it.

Concept and Director: David Maayan
Puppetdesign: Roger Titley
Artists:
Theresa Aranya Aigner
Toni Burger
Ida Kelarova und Desiderius Duzda
Romy Kolb
Brigitte Lackner
Ulrich Probst
Cornelia Scheuer
Roger Titley
Circus psychologist: Barbara Stiglbauer
Psychologists: Marlene Penz, Anna Scharfetter
Educational Guidance: Ulrich Probst und Brigitte Lackner
Dramaturgical Consultant: Angelika Kisser-Maayan
Production and assistant director: Linda Huber

D.A.R.K. - The Universe in a Rice Cooker

A Kind of Comedy by Michael Scheidl

A co-production by the Circus of Knowledge and netzzeit.
Produced in partnership with the Tangible Music Lab at the Linz University of Art..

A 'dinner for two' turns into a trip to a climate-changed world of tomorrow, in which a rice cooker isn't even just a rice cooker anymore. Or was it always like that?
But at least humans still have a role in this future: In this comedy, what is fact and what is fiction takes Austria's youngest public prosecutor and her biologist boyfriend on an unintentional journey through time, a whole century ahead, into an uncertain future. Should we humans still even have children, or is it already too late? Just how wonderful is artificial intelligence? Is it better than we are? And just how dangerous? Are there any people left who are of any use? And if so, what for?
This situation comedy addresses these and other questions relating to climate change that are already changing us - and will continue to change us, along with those around us, and our environment.
A glimpse into the future that awaits those under 30, somewhere between sugar-coating and pessimism, and where the probability resides that we can very well have an impact, for better or worse. And - despite everything - can also give us a lot to laugh about: especially about ourselves.

This production was produced during a residency as part of our STARTS project GRIN.

Text and stage direction: Michael Scheidl
Set: Nora Scheidl
Score/medley: Enrique Mendoza
Pneumatic sound sculpture: Michael Kramer
Visuals: Max Scheidl
Assistant director: Alex Riff
Dramaturgical consulting: Hans Escher

Performers:
"The Universe" - Eszter Hollosi
"Miranda" - Julia Frisch
"Georg" - Max J. Modl
"Homo Utilis" - Eric Lingens

Educational material to go together with the play, D.A.R.K.

DSCHUNGEL.
CyberHurt / Bytes & Pieces

Be it on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook or X (formerly Twitter) and other platforms, hate comments are widespread, now almost part of the norm on the World Wide Web.
Directed against people who have different opinions, those of a different skin color, from different countries, of different religions, of a different sexual orientation, and different gender definitions, hate speech can harm the mental health of those whose identities are targeted, making them feel fearful, or anxious, and alone.
Online hate has real-world consequences.
Together with the rap duo EsRAP, an actress and a dancer navigate their way through a jungle of bullying, body shaming, prejudice and cyber-hate.
Will they find a way out of the jungle?

This production was developed in a residency as part of our STARTS project GRIN.

By and featuring EsRAP Esra & Enes Özmen, Alejandra Benet, Lucia Mauri, Barbara Novotny.
Video: Sara Koniarek
Stage coordination: Martina Winkel
Light & Sound: Andreas Matejka
Evening technics, Light & Sound: Matthias Reichhard
Technical assistant: Emily Withake

Educational material to go together with the play, DSCHUNGEL.

DUMMHEIT. Eine Reise in die Unendlichkeit
STUPIDITY. A Journey into Infinity

"A society without stupidity seems an even greater utopia than extensive justice, boundless freedom, or eternal life" (Heidi Kastner).
 

"Dummheit" is dangerous. It threatens interpersonal relationships, social cohesion, our basic democratic consensus, and our survival on this planet. Drawing on her experience as a forensic psychiatrist and neurologist, Heidi Kastner shows that measurable intelligence and stupidity are not necessarily mutually exclusive as she analyzes the degrees of stupidity with razor-sharp precision.
Based on the successful book by Heidi Kastner. A humorous performance featuring dramatic dialogue and live-drawn animations.
 

The location: A spaceship.
The audience: The last survivors from Earth.
The destination: Unknown.
An accident. During the repairs, the science officer, assisted by the lab rat, holds a daily "lecture".
Topic: "What led to mankind's downfall".

The "A.I." (artificial intelligence) on board asks questions.
The science officer struggles to find the answers.
The lab rat draws and comments.
 

Adelheid, science officer: Barbara Falter
Ralph, lab rat: Marcel Keller
Direction, stage and live animationn: Marcel Keller
Content support: Heidi Kastner

Fascination Octopus

Named the 2022 Science Book of the Year, "Faszination Krake" was presented with the Austrian Children's and Young People's Book Award. Stavarič not only masterfully tells stories, he also talks to his readers, asking them for their opinion as well as challenging them to think for themselves, and to dream: What would you do if you had eight arms?
Linz-based choreographer, Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX projects) embraces this interactive approach to storytelling and created a interactive dialogue process. Over 80 children are involved in creating and presenting the performance Fascination Octopus.

Participation, Director, Choreografy: Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX projects)
Music, Composition: Christina Poxrucker
Sound, Editing: Otto Andreas Bruckner
Play: Christian Scharrer
Performance: Children and teens at HELIX projects

Based on the book by Michael Stavaric & Michéle Ganser
In cooperation with: HELIX projects Linz & the Dept. of STEM Didactics in Biology

Fascination Jellyfish - Mysterious Beauties

Based on the book by Michael Stavarič and Michèle Ganser
A partnership with Helix projects by Christine Maria Krenn & Leykam Publishers

In the wake of the spectacular success of "Fascination Octopus," the Circus of Knowledge once again turns its attention to the wonders of the ocean, this time to the mysterious world of jellyfish:
What does a jellyfish have to do with immortality and lowering blood pressure? Why do scientists call them "organized water"? Can jellyfish form states? They have no brain, no heart, no lungs and no bones, how can they still be animals? Intriguing questions as we track down one of the oldest and most dangerous creatures in the oceans.

Communicating without words, feeling without seeing, reproducing without physical contact... The young performers magically create mystical images of Medusa. Their beauty has inspired them to create luminous creations and turn them into fashion designers. But the big question is: Are we fooling ourselves as well as the living creatures?

Direction, choreography, participation: Christine Maria Krenn
Music, composition, piano: Fiona Fiebiger
Acting: Christian Scharrer
Costumes, stage design: Tanja Lattner
Sound, editing: Roland Maurer
Lighting design: Andreas Matejka
Technical support: Andreas Berhmani
Featuring: Children & the Youth Ensemble at HELIX projects, Fiona Fiebiger, Christine Maria Krenn, Christian Scharrer.

From age 4

Fascination Sharks

Once again, director and choreographer Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX projects) will take the audience on a mesmerizing adventure, this time following in search of sharks, which are as feared as they are misunderstood.

Part 3 of the popular series of interactive dance performances based on Michael Stavarič and Michèle Ganser's latest book. A joint production by Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX projects, opens an external URL in a new window, opens an external URL in a new window) & the JKU Circus of Knowledge)

A theatrical dance performance for all ages.

Lizzy and Jonny, the two main characters in "The Octopus" and "The Jellyfish", have some fascinating questions they want answered: Is it true that sharks can fly? Why do they never, ever eat shark fin soup? What do cows have to do with sharks, and what is a revolver jaw? Is it true that the chances of a shark attack is 1 in 11.5 million, and that a Greenland shark's heart beats only once every 10 seconds?

Join us again as we take a fearless, but mindful, plunge into the depths of the ocean and enjoy a performance featuring a touch of humor, animated images, and fascinating stories.

Choreographer, director, participant   
Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX projects)
Music                                          
Martina Kneidinger al. Mintha
Sound                                               
Julius Zwirtmayr
Script/Performers                       
Christian Scharrer, Christine Maria Krenn
Lighting, Animation & LED Technic, scenery
Bermo – Lichtkunst in Bewegung
In collaboration with Rafal Fresel and maker austria
Illustrations                                
Michèle Ganser
Shark                                           
Roger Titley

Fix Me if You Can - A Sit Down Comedy

A repair guide written for a person who is disabled.
By and featuring: Elisabeth Löffler

"Fix Me If You Can" is a story about a family in search of a miracle, a family that is doing everything to give their child a better future, a future on two legs. At the same time, it is the story of a child who is pursuing a very personal quest, one in the name of God and love, and with the active support of her very own personal painkiller, Udo Jürgens.

Text and play: Elisabeth Löffler
Director: Frans Poelstra
Script: Yosi Wanunu

In cooperation with the Linz Festival sicht:wechsel

HAST DU ZEIT?
Do You Have Time?

Science for kids
A new way of storytelling as part of PlayOn

Alex must have forgotten the time. There's no other explanation for not showing up in time for the performance and he's always so reliable. Waiting for him is not an option either, after all, the audience is seated. What do we do? Without further ado, the prop mistress helps out to pass the time until Alex arrives. However, when he finally gets in touch with her, things turn out quite differently because Alex seems to be in trouble. In order to turn everything around, the audience and the theater employees have to work together and answer questions about time so that Alex can get out of the mess in one piece.

Together with the JKU's Circus of Knowledge, students at the Linz University of Art & Design, the Upper Austria University of Applied Sciences, and the Young Theater at the Landestheater Linz have created a story addressing questions about time through play and research.

Higher Beings Command: AI!

A Stroll into the New World of AI
A walking stick by Gerhard Willert

Chat GPT arrived on the market just two years ago and suddenly, AI is everywhere! Some people believe it is the answer to everything. Those who tend to be more apprehensive fear it's the end of humanity (if not the end of the world!). Company experts developing all of this are touting their products’ supposedly perilous, all-powerful nature. Yet somewhere in the middle, the inventors of it all - the researchers and scientists, of course - are sitting and scratching their heads because they don't really know why AI works at all, and why it isn't working as reliably and dependably as we all want it to. Good grief! What's going on? Scratching your head is a good start. Scratching some spots on your head can make you sneeze or even start to laugh. It's been said that our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction.

As part of Gerhard Willert's production, Barbara Novotny and Peter Pertusini will be scratching their heads, while Fadi Dorninger places his stereo head into position and Alexandra Pitz delivers the heads. Have no fear if a high-profile researcher suddenly takes the stage for a moment!

A piece that might make you cry. Or sneeze. Perhaps even laugh. Or maybe even make you stop and think for a minute.

Kamishibai. Dinosaur Lady
Paper Theater Depicting the Lives of Great Researchers

This is the first time the stories of great scientists have been told in an unusual way. The audience experiences events from the lives of important scientists and researchers and, at the same time, learn more about Kamishibai, the 1000-year-old art of Japanese paper theater.

The first installment of the series focuses on paleontologist Mary Anning.As a young girl, Mary discovered dinosaur fossils. Mary spent her entire life searching for fossils and her findings ultimately contributed significantly to the development of early paleontology. Ali Mayer-Pernkopf, a puppeteer and storyteller from Upper Austria, will recount the amazing and fascinating story.

Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine

The Circus of Knowledge recounts extraordinary chapters in the lives of important scientists and scholars.

Following the story of Mary Anning, the second Kamishibai performance focuses on mathematician and inventor Ada Byron Lovelace. She developed the world's first computer program almost 200 years ago and was the first person to realize what a computer would one day be able to do. She was passionate about mathematics and mechanical machines from a young age, and even designed her own flying machine! Ada was an exceptionally bright and creative child who did not fit into a patriarchic, male-dominated world.

This beautiful story is narrated by Ali Mayer-Pernkopf, an Upper Austrian puppeteer and storyteller.

Karl Sibelius Trilogy - Vom Fremden und vom Eigenen. Part 1
Karli Boy. An Evening of Autobiographical Songs.

The words of Thomas Bernhard proved more than true for former Linz audience favorite, Karl Sibelius: "You don't go to Trier with impunity, you go to Trier and make a fool of yourself". The result of his "dramatic failure" as artistic director at the theater there had been his departure from the "boards that meant the world". But it is not that simple. During his psychotherapy training, Sibelius realized that there was still something to work through, and within a few days he had packed his life into 20 songs, which he now wanted to present to his audience in Linz. Karli Bua is more than an autobiography, it's a tribute to life, love and all the crazy people who make this world so colorful.

By and featuring Karl M. Sibelius
Composition: Nebojša Krulanovic

Karl Sibelius Trilogy - Vom Fremden und vom Eigenen. Part 2
The Ideology of Abandonment.

Australian playwright and screenwriter, Duncan Graham, says his actors' texts should convey the emotions and thoughts of the very different characters in the existential situation during the Coronavirus pandemic, Song Cycle, in the same way a medium would.
Between sadness and ignorance, longing and irony, the stories, songs and monologues of people threatened not only by a virus, but also by the soul-devouring predator called loneliness, shimmer.

Play: Karl Sibelius
Composition & Cello: Jörg Ulrich Krah
Piano: Hiroyo Masumura
Scenic arrangement & live animation: Marcel Keller
German translation: Martina Winkel

The world premiere was presented at the 2021 Festival of Regions, in cooperation with the Hin&Weg Festival and NSW government of Australia.

The Karl Sibelius Trilogy – Vom Fremden und vom Eigenen. Part 3
Adam Schaf Is Scared. Not a Musical by Georg Kreisler.

A brilliant one-man spoof by the master of vicious-classical cabaret, Georg Kreisler. Karl M. Sibelius is Adam Schaf, an unhappily misunderstood actor who has been dreaming about being an influential artist for years, with everyone hanging on his every word. Unfortunately, however, it is only enough to be a coat-check hero. He does, however, rant all the more profusely about the wickedness of the world: the new artistic director, modern plays, inflation, and a decline in values.
Piano: Nebojša Krulanovic

Kasperls Mut! Das tut gut.
Kasperls Courage! This is Good.

In cooperation with the Linz Puppet Theater

This children's production kicks off a thematic focus on well-being, particularly children and teens. The Linz Puppet Theater was proud to present a performance of "Kasperls Mut! Das tut gut!", focusing on helping children who suffered from isolation and an identity crises on account of the the lockdowns during the Covid pandemic. The performance talks about how to enjoy life once again. The production's content was developed together with children, puppeteers, psychotherapists and social workers, which Christa Koinig then transformed into a puppet show.
Composition and music: Wiff LaGrange

KeplerSalon extern: STUPIDITY

A discussion: What do things as different as "alternative facts," deserted encounter zones in satellite settlements, and cosmetic surgery as a high school graduation gift have in common? Heidi Kastner dares to tackle the fraught concept of stupidity by looking at so-called measurable intelligence (IQ) as well as "holy simple-mindedness" and emotional intelligence, the lack of which can cause immense damage. What drives people who could, in themselves, think rationally-cognitively to plunge themselves and others into misfortune by making "stupid" decisions? Are weighing in on decisions and thinking an old-fashioned concept? And what on earth is so attractive about the concept of the leader who thinks for us, or an influencer who wants to share "the only true way"?

Podium:

Heidi Kastner ( head of the Dept. of Psychiatry with a Forensic Focus at the Kepler University Hospital in Linz, forensic psychiatrist)
Christine Haiden (host)

In cooperation with the KeplerSalon.

KeplerSalon extern - PLAY. A Discussion

We play ball, flute, roulette or the heroine. Time plays into our hands, yet others play for time. He only wants to play, they say, when the situation is seemingly harmless. Children simply play, many practice playing, some adults play professionally. We spoil (someone's) game, play with fire, play hide-and-seek and play cat-and-mouse. Gender does not matter, claims the one who plays the strong man. We all play. Play is state and work, intention and chance, the exception and the rule. It just happens, we work hard for it, or completely forget about it. Norbert Trawöger's essay focuses on "play".

Panel:

Stefanie Jaksch (publisher)
Thomas Mohrs (philosopher)
Norbert Trawöger (author)
Christine Haiden ('host')
 

In cooperation with KeplerSalon

Klaus Maria Brandauer - Echos From Dark Rooms

Famous Austrian actor Klaus Maria Brandauer reads texts about war, peace and democracy.

This was a benefit event as part of a focus on war, peace, democracy, and what it means to escape and be a refugee.
Proceeds from the event support the MORE Initiative and Ukrainian refugees.

The Constitution - A Question of Its Constitution.

A revue?

An entertaining and fun theatrical production focusing on the pillars of a democratic state and presented in a unique approach.

Suitable for ages 12+

What is a democracy? How is it different from other forms of government?
“The Constitution - A Question of Its Constitution” is an entertaining and fun theatrical production focusing on the pillars of a democratic state and presented in a unique approach. What is behind the term constitution? Why do we even need one? In principle, it's just a set of rules that defines the way people should co-exist.

As part of a classic Doppelconférence (in which one performer takes on the role of an intelligent, educated individual and the other is not as bright), Barbara Novotny and John F. Kutil will take the audience on a captivating journey behind the origins of the constitution. They are accompanied on stage by talented students from “Die Rose” school. “The Constitution - A Question of Its Constitution” is a compelling, out-of-the-ordinary production about the essence of democracy, sparking a sense of curiosity and awareness, and bringing seemingly “dry” articles and laws to life on stage. The production is an inspirational theatrical experience providing an extraordinary opportunity to discover the constitution in a completely new way.

Featuring Barbara Novotny and John F. Kutil, and the students from “Die Rose” school (Coaching of the students: Julia Frisch & Ethem Fischer)
Written and directed by Hans Escher
Live Music: Anton Burger
Stage and costumes: Andrea Hölzl

Let IT Dance!

Coding Meets Choreography
A co-production by the Circus of Knowledge & the JKU's COOL Lab, with HELIX projects.
Demovideo, opens an external URL in a new window

Director, Participation:                   Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX projects)
Motion Design:                               Markus Kaiser – Mühlecker (KM Film)
Choreography, Performance:         Kids & teens at HELIX projects
Content Consulting (JKU):             Barbara Sabitzer, Marina Rottenhofer

In the basement of their school building, a group of students finds letters written by a former student, some of which contain encrypted messages and codes. They are fascinated by this student's enthusiasm for computer science and manage to solve the riddles in order to travel back in time. Along the way, they experience many an era in music history and gradually learn that information technology is by no means only in the hands of men. Inspired by strong women and pioneers of their time - Ada Lovelace, Grace Hopper, Hedy Lamarr and Margaret Hamilton - they try to creatively work out the tasks without being discovered, er... hacked. Will they manage to choreo-program all the pieces together in time? The dance journey begins.

Developed with and by children and teens, the play is divided into 6 chapters in which each thematic chapter can be worked on with school classes as an individual module and filled with personal, age-appropriate movements.
When all of the chapters are combined, the piece can be presented as a performance at the school. The project can run for several weeks.
The project is an ideal way to bring education, exercise, and sports together, along with a basic understanding of digital education, music, and history.

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The Circus of Knowledge performed a segment of the production "Let IT Dance" during the MINT Gala at the Haus der Industrie in Vienna.

Christine Maria Krenn (HELIX Projects) and her ensemble got the crowd up and dancing/coding. Austrian Federal Minister Polaschek and Upper Austrian State Minister Haberlander were also in attendance.

A Lullaby for Mariupol

On February 24, Russia launched an all-out war against the free and peaceful country of Ukraine. The city of Mariupol, a Ukrainian port city on the Sea of Azov, became living proof of terrible crimes against humanity. Despite the humanitarian catastrophe in their country, the Ukrainian ensemble Opera Aperta has shown incredible courage, strength and a will to go on. They aim to show how important it is to provide information to the world about the conditions and suffering in their homeland. The horror of the war in Ukraine must be voices as loudly as possible to the world. There is a need and an importance not to remain silent. No one can escape it, it affects us all.
 

Composition: Roman Grygoriv and Illia Razumeiko
Ethnomusical research: Marichka Styrbulova
Live video: Dmytro Tentiuk
Cymbals: Roman Grygoriv
Bandura: Illia Razumeiko
Gusli, Kantele: Ihor Zavhorodnii
Flute: Ihor Boichuck
Vocals: Marichka Styrbulova, Anna Rudenko, Nazgul Shukaeva
Sound: Vyacheslav Sobolev
Light: Svitlana Smieieva
Produced in cooperation with proto produkciia agency (Olia Diatel, Volodymyr Burkovets)

In cooperation with Ars Electronica Festival and Music Theater Days Vienna

Clear the Ring for Computer Science!
The JKU COOL Lab as part of Linz Program at the Circus of Knowledge!

Teens are introduced to computer science from a magical side and through fun and games, they discovered how exciting the world of algorithms can be. There were over 50 performances and workshops between March and July 2022 focusing on computer science at the Circus of Knowledge as well as at other spaces at the JKU. Students at the JKU School of Education then performed or animated the content.

MoonDream & PlanetSound
A Silhouette Performance about the Life & Times of Johannes Kepler
By Andreas Pfaffenberger and Martina Winkel

Astronomer, mathematician and astrologer Johannes Kepler opened mankind's door to the cosmos by calculating planetary movements. And: he is our university's namesake.
The Circus of Knowledge took audiences on a fantastic journey back in time as "MondTraum & Planetenklang" used light and shadow to recount the life and times of the great natural scientist and polymath.

One performance was translated into Austrian sign language for those in the audience who are deaf or hard of hearing.

NAT.U.R.AL

An Ode to Imperfection. A critical study of the relationship between humanity and that what is considered to be artificial.
World premiere on November 4, 2022
Based on motifs by Karel Čapek's R.U.R. - by Dávid Paška
 

A wandering acting troupe decides to recapture the audience's attention by posing as humanoid androids capable of predicting the future. A critical study of the relationship between humanity and that what is considered to be artificial; the issue of universal morality; and the potential to misuse artificial intelligence. How can acting rehearsals and programming be similar? When it comes to machines, where is "the human" aspect as well as "the human" in us? By and featuring Dávid Paška.

rubisco-variationen – The Sonata of Photosynthesis

By means of photosynthesis, man has come up with a concept that is almost impossible to grasp. We have probably come to terms with it and yet the question remains as to whether or not a process so directly linked to life on earth and how we breathe can only be understood by biochemists. Art can help people understand new links to greenery and how we see it, as well as waste recycling and growth.

Otto Lechner is a blind musician; he sees music and literature as concrete tools to perceive or sense that which is concealed. Accompanied by language, music and dance, Anne Bennent and Otto Lechner set out to give photosynthesis a human face.
By and featuring: Otto Lechner, Anne Bennent & Anne Tismer

Safe Space – Brave Space

A project about the well-being of young people
In cooperation with Teach for Austria

Countless studies have shown that young people between the ages of 15 and 25 suffered the most on account of the pandemic, and they continue to do so. A lack of social contact, educational disadvantages, disadvantages in the job market, as well as a lack of recreational activities, etc., resulted in mental health issues - including depression, anxiety - as well as a fear of the future and a fear of a lack of future prospects. On top of that, there are insecurities on account of the war in Europe and fear of climate change.

Developed by the Circus of Knowledge in an effort to work with teens and address their well-being, "Safe Space - Brave Space" is a new format of workshops at schools. The project not only aims to make sure that teens are being heard, but also aims to work on new perspectives with them and provide support to overcome crises.

Following a series of workshops at eight middle schools, for several days, the Circus space was transformed into a space to support well-being space, focusing on workshop and presentations as well as sharing experiences and cooking together as a community. Local artists and psychologistss from various departments at the JKU worked together with the teens.

The 2022 Science Slam

Science in the circus ring instead of in a lecture hall and conveyed in a comprehensible and humorous way!

The 2022 Science Slam took place at the Circus of Knowledge for the first time, once again bringing current research to the stage in a compact, precise, and very creative way! The topics ranged from neuropsychiatry, online law, semiconductor physics, the dramatic effects of species extinction, quantum disco at the supermagnet, to a new version of Little Red Riding Hood and her degree in mathematics. In the end, the audience selected Nikolaus Doppelhammer as Slam Champion for the second time!

See: www.scienceslam.at, opens an external URL in a new window to learn more.

The Dark Side of the Moon

Otto Lechner interprets Pink Floyd's famous 1973 album.

Austria's top accordionist, Otto Lechner, embarks on a daring venture at the Circus of Knowledge: Lechner, who has also tried his hand at many a Jimi Hendrix song, interprets Pink Floyd's 1973 album, "The Dark Side of The Moon", including a solo!

The Making of Split Subject - Lecture Performance

Creative Robotics & SILK - Amir Bastan & Silke Grabinger

"S - Split Subject" explores subjectivity in human-robot interaction.
"Spot", the four-legged robot created by Boston Dynamics; the programming language "VL"; a performer and a body; choreography as an immaterial interface. And the question of "desire!" There was also a workshop as part of this performance.
Concept & Performance: Amir Bastan, Silke Grabinger
Photo - and video credits: Bashir Bastan

The People vs. Climate Change

Film Evening & Discussion
In cooperation with the Rector's Office of Sustainability, the JKU Austrian Student Union Climate Department, and the Austrian Climate Council

The humorous documentary, "The People versus Climate Change", is a story about the participants at the first Citizens' Council on Climate Change in the UK. In the spring of 2020, 108 randomly selected British citizens met over a period of six weekends to agree on measures that would guarantee attaining climate protection goals. The film follows seven citizens in the Climate Council, each of whom bring their own perspective to the discussion.

Discussion:
Veronika Wittmann, Global Studies/Modern and Contemporary History at the JKU
Lisa Maier, Fridays for Future
Paula Spilauer, Austrian Climate Council
Moderation: Klaus Buttinger (OÖN, Kepler Salon)

Surprise! A Math Party für Jo & Jo 

By Andreas Pfaffenberger & Martina Winkel

Jo & Jo are celebrating their birthdays. But how many candles should there actually be on the twins' birthday cake? And what is the best way to share this cake among so many guests? And what does the cake have to do with the mysterious Pi? These simple questions are the beginning of a journey on the trail of mathematics.... This is a great leap in time from numerical signs on clay tablets, using pebbles to count, and Greek mathematicians drawing geometric figures in the sand, up to today's electronic calculators and computers. For centuries, people have used numbers and formulas to seek a potential understanding of the world, especially in research, when trying to solved the riddles of the universe, address problems in everyday life, come up with calculations that could result in useful applications, but also address the challenges of a game that full of questions, mistakes, discoveries, and surprises.

One performance was translated into Austrian sign language for those in the audience who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Upper Austrian puppeteer Andreas Pfaffenberger conducts research on puppet theaters in Berlin, and theater-maker Martina Winkel takes the audience on a journey into the world of mathematics.

Und da oben dazwischen die Sterne
And Up There Among the Stars

A confluence of theater, science and music.

In the wake of the Copernican Revolution, Kepler and Galileo's discoveries opened the decisive breach that led to the triumph of the modern age. A breathtaking story about progress takes us to lonely technological summits - and to the abyss. This story raises fundamental questions about the relationship between science, the church, and capital; in short: power, on the one hand, and the complex of issues of ethics, aesthetics and morality, on the other. Theater, science, and music have come together in this production to creatively and playfully explore these issues.

Featuring Barbara Novotny, Julian Reiss, Aline Potiron & students at the Institute of Philosophy and Scientific Method
Text & direction: Gerhard Willert
Staging: Alexandra Pitz
Music: Wolfgang Dorninger

Acoustic Week - Listen and Be Amazed!

Sound, music, noises, tones, and voices: When it comes to listening, the natural sciences and cultural sciences are intrinsicially linked to the arts. During the week and on weekends, school children - along with the general public - are introduced to the broad fields of acoustics at the Open Labs by conducting simple experiments with tuning forks to conducting more complex experiments. Evening lectures feature a combination of scientific/technical and artistic aspects. Workshops on soldering and sound walks complete the program.

Con Espressione! All About the Measurable and the Immeasurable when it Comes to Music
An evening featuring classical music, artificial intelligence and physicists at the piano
Participants:
Gerhard Widmer, Institute for Computational Perception, JKU and LIT AI Lab, Linz Institute of Technology
On the piano: Alberta Bonanni (Institute for Semiconductor and Solid State Physics and Vice-Rector for Research, Gender and Diversity, JKU) and Niyazi Serdar Sarıçiftçi (Institute for Physical Chemistry and the Linz Institute for Organic Solar Cells, JKU)

When A Musician Meets a Physicist ... - An Evening with Otto Lechner and Thomas Klar
Otto Lechner is an Austrian accordion player and composer, Thomas Klar is head of the Institute of Applied Physics at the JKU.

Open Lab
Acoustic phenomena made tangible by using simple setups.

Soldering a Theremin! - Soldering Workshop
Workshop leader: Wolfgang Dorninger (sound artist, musician and a lecturer at the Linz University of Art & Design)

Mass and Light - A Three-Part Concert Evening
Theremin Orchestra: The fitting, ceremonial end to the soldering workshop features the Theremin Orchestra, made up of those who soldered a theremin during the day. A short, joyful performance!
Concert featuring Günther Gessert (musician and professional theremin player)
"Tiny Techno Orchestra" by Wolfgang Dorninger (sound artist, musician and a lecturer at the Linz University of Art & Design)
Making the hard to hear audible in a good and/or different way - A  Sound Walk with Wolfgang Dorninger (sound artist, musician and a lecturer at the Linz University of Art & Design)

A Week of Optical Sciences

"Can you see?", "understanding something", "clear as day", "enlightenment": Words like these reveal just how closely light - and a sense of sight (and therefore optics) - are connected to what we learn and our understanding, right up to the transcendental and art.
Colors, sunrays, and energy - in short: light. Natural sciences and engineering are closely linked to art and culture through the optical sciences. Instructors will conduct a series of experiments to make optical phenomena more tangible. Beginning with basic experiments using mirrors and lenses, we will work our way up to more complex experiments revealing insight about the nature of light.

A Journey to Your Inner Core   

In mid-March, and for several days, the Circus was transformed to become a space to support personal well-being.

Following the school-focus days, members of the general public (all ages!) are invited to attend a series of workshops and presentations designed to explore opportunities to pursue greater happiness, a sense of joie de vivre, and (body) awareness.

The program included:
Joie de vivre - A workshop with Barbara Stiglbauer
Salon Limusin - A workshop and performance
What is actually normal? - A workshop about mental health featuring Julia Zuber
Knitted Anatomy: Haptic Visualization of the Interior of the Body - A Lecture and Discussion with Katharina Sabernig

WIR! A Solo Show

You don't have to agree with me...

How do we want to co-exist?
Who is in charge and why?
When do we feel happy and free?
We live in a democracy - but what does that even mean?
Where does this life of co-existence - that promises to give everyone same rights - come from and is it really true?
As we explore the background stories behind these questions, we encounter people and experiences spanning all epochs, ranging from Ancient Greece and the French Revolution, to what brought about the country we live in today. And we discover one thing above all: We have to constantly reinvent and redefine who we are.

By and featuring Andreas Pfaffenberger and Martina Winkel

Educational materials to go with "WIR! Eine Solo-Show"

Just What Are We Made Of?

What do we look like on the inside? How do our organs work? How do blood cells work to defend the body, and how is it all connected?

Our journey of discovery to explore the mysterious world of the human miracle took us through a fascinating landscape of our organs in the form of lovingly knitted and anatomically correct wool objects created by physician and anthropologist, Katherina Sabernig. Puppeteer Rebekah Wild brought these beautiful, captivating, and intriguing anatomical works of art to life. A fascinating combination of science communication in vivid images, animated objects, rhythmic sounds, and spirited emotions!

Katharina Sabernig: Idea, concept, production design; performer
Rebekah Wild: Concept, stage figures & object design, performer
Nora Dirisamer: Concept, script, director
Alexander Brosch: Composition and live music, performer

Zehn Zeugen sajnen mir gewesen
We Were Ten Witnesses

Holocaust Studies in an Era Without Eyewitnesses

The heart of this performance focuses on the question as to how we can preserve first-hand accounts of the Holocaust once there are no longer any surviving eyewitnesses. The "disappearance" of Holocaust witnesses raises different questions and the artists in this unique production focus on this topic. As the number of Holocaust survivors dwindles, how can the horrors of the Holocaust be conveyed once there are no longer any living witnesses? Can video interviews, (which are available in large numbers in archives and on the Internet) fill the gap?

Internationally renowned Israeli director David Maayan already addressed memory culture in various ways through his earlier work in theater. Together with actress Theresa Martini and musician Theresa Aigner, they have created new formats of remembrance.
Actress Theresa Martini transforms herself into contemporary witness Inge Ginsberg. Theresa Aigner sings and plays songs by Holocaust survivor Aleksander Kulisiewicz.
Ida Kelarová, one of the most important interpreters of Roma songs, performs Holocaust era songs together with her husband Desiderius Dužda.

By David Maayan, Theresa Aigner & Theresa Martini
Featuring Theresa Aigner, Theresa Martini, Ida Kelarová & Desiderius Dužda
Thank you to Theater Nestroyhof / Hamakom