BETA |
WORLD PREMIERE |
ABOUT THE CONTENT
A tech pioneer celebrated as a genius promotes his visionary projects aimed at revolutionizing the basis of human livelihood worldwide. A hacker warns of the concentration of power in the hands of a few global corporations and conducts research on artificial intelligence. A politician advances the digitalization of state institutions and is confronted with challenges related to disinformation, data protection, and consumer rights.
Technological innovations have long since permeated every aspect of life. The world premiere of ‘BETA’ highlights the potential of digital tools, but also the risks arising from, for example, opaque data sets, algorithmic biases, and the monetization of private user data. To what extent do the economic interests and methods of internet giants clash with ethical and constitutional questions? Can national and European legal frameworks effectively regulate the power of transnational tech corporations? How can state institutions and individuals protect citizens’ interests from arbitrariness and abuse of power?
The work is based on the investigative research of director and author Christiane Mudra, who examines the interplay between tech corporations, politics, and society through leaked documents, legal texts, and interviews with experts. Dariya Maminova artfully weaves together genres in her composition, blending live sound with complex electronics while repeatedly playing with the boundaries of our perception of analog and digitally produced music. Through interactive voting tools, the audience is invited to take a stance on the issues raised and help shape the course of the performance.
Presse
"The dystopia that author and director Christiane Mudra creates in BETA is at most a small step away from our reality. In fact, the play not only bursts with references to futuristic pop culture but also with facts. (...) This depth of detail is no coincidence. Mudra calls her approach investigative theater, which relies on long-term journalistic research and work with original sources. (...) Consumer protection, the General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Services Act, the AI Act — (...) does this work as musical theatre? Yes, it does. Thanks to the fast-paced, sometimes bitterly biting, sometimes absurd texts. And thanks to a musical production by Dariya Maminova that gets under your skin. (...) A dystopia worth seeing and hearing."
Ingo Dachwitz, NETZPOLITIK, February 21, 2024
“For ”Beta", director Christiane Mudra, founder of investigative theater, and composer Dariya Maminova have developed a 100-minute, dense production based on extensive research. “Beta” is a hybrid of spoken theater and sung parts. All avatar characters are performed by singers and their facial movements are tracked as they sing. (...) This gives you goosebumps when the avatars suddenly seem human. (...) Technically and musically fantastic."
Martina Jacobi, Die deutsche Bühne, February 18, 2024
Anyone used to the bourgeois theatre with its cryptic messages and the punchline of the human soul’s sublimity will have to adjust quickly. Christiane Mudra, who conceived and directed the music theatre piece Beta, creates investigative theatre. (...)
Her main theme: the manipulation and suppression of the global population by tech corporations. (...) The first poll is interrupted, a clever touch of pseudo-realism breaks into the piece — due to a security flaw: Beta is, after all, still beta. (...) Key moments of this highly technologized production are the appearances of two digitally animated cyborgs on large screens: (...) They are brilliantly brought to musical life by singers Hye-Young Moon and Oleksandra Diachenko.
Matthias Nöther, Berliner Morgenpost, February 18, 2024
"Die Dystopie, die Autorin und Regisseurin Christiane Mudra in BETA entwirft, sie ist höchstens einen kleinen Schritt von unserer Realität entfernt. Tatsächlich strotzt das Stück nicht nur vor Referenzen an futuristische Popkultur, sondern auch vor Fakten. (...) Diese Detailtiefe ist kein Zufall. Investigatives Theater nennt Mudra ihren Ansatz, der auf journalistische Langzeitrecherchen und Arbeit mit Originalquellen setzt. (...) Verbraucherschutz, Datenschutzgrundverordnung, Digital Services Act, KI-Act – (...) funktioniert das als Musiktheater? Ja, es funktioniert. Dank der rasanten, mal bitterbösen, mal aberwitzigen Texte. Und dank einer musikalischen Inszenierung von Dariya Maminova, die unter die Haut geht. (...) Eine sehens- und hörenswerte Dystopie."
Ingo Dachwitz, NETZPOLITIK, 21. Februar 2024
“Für „Beta“ haben Regisseurin Christiane Mudra, Gründerin von investigative theater, und Komponistin Dariya Maminova eine 100-minütige, dichte Inszenierung auf der Basis einer langen Recherche entwickelt. Musiktheatral ist „Beta“ ein Hybrid aus Sprechtheater und gesungenen Partien. Alle Avatar-Figuren werden von Sänger:innen dargestellt, die Gesichtsbewegungen beim Singen werden getrackt. (...) Das führt zu Gänsehaut, wenn die Avatare plötzlich menschlich scheinen. (...) Technisch-musikalisch fantastisch."
Martina Jacobi, Die deutsche Bühne, 18. Februar 2024
"Wer aus dem bürgerlichen Theater verrätselte Botschaften mit der Pointe der Erhabenheit der menschlichen Seele gewöhnt ist, muss sich ganz schnell umgewöhnen. Christiane Mudra, die das Musiktheater „Beta“ erfunden und inszeniert hat, macht investigatives Theater. (...) Ihr Hauptthema: die Manipulation und Unterdrückung der Weltbevölkerung durch Tech-Konzerne. (...) die erste Umfrage wird – in das Stück bricht dabei ein pfiffiger Pseudo-Realismus ein – wegen einer Sicherheitslücke unterbrochen: Beta ist eben erst beta. (...) Schlüsselstellen des Musiktheaters in dieser hoch technisierten Aufführung sind die Auftritte zweier digital animierter Cyborgs auf den großen Leinwänden: (...) Sie werden großartig von den Sängerinnen Hye-Young Moon und Oleksandra Diachenko zu musikalischem Leben erweckt.“
Matthias Nöther, Berliner Morgenpost, 18. Februar 2024
Credits
Credits
Concept, research, text and direction: Christiane Mudra
Composition: Dariya Maminova
Musical direction: Elda Laro
Costumes: Sarah Silbermann
Avatars/CGI/VFX: Yavuz Narin
PollCube development: Markus Schubert
Dramaturgy: Carolin Müller-Dohle
Lou: Hye-Young Moon
Scarlett: Oleksandra Diachenko
Hannes: Youngkwang Oh
Julian Zapp: Simon Mantei
Untitled: Maya Alban-Zapata
Clara Sanders: Corinna Ruba
Grand piano, harpsichord, electronics
Jessica Rucinski
Violin, electronics
Yukari Aotani-Riehl
Viola, electronics
Juan Lucas Aisemberg
Double bass, electronics
Martin Schaal
Percussion
Thomas Döringer
