T +32 (0)3 248 28 28
how to get there

Detection of the Flash plugin failed. You may need to upgrade your Flash Player.
Your Flash plugin may be outdated, or your Javascript support has been switched off. You can try to bypass the detection if you wish.

Jan Fabre

Jan Fabre was born in Antwerp in 1958. He was trained at the Koninklijke Academie voor Schone Kunsten and the Stedelijk Instituut voor Sierkunsten en Ambachten. In the period between 1976 and 1980, Fabre wrote his first texts for theatre. At that early age, he had his first exhibitions as visual artist, including performances and actions in Belgium and internationally. He has been directing since 1980. The following will detail Fabre's theatre work.

1980

Fabre's theatre debut was at age twenty-two with a work titled, 'Theater geschreven met een K is een Kater'.

1982

First international exposure, recognition for eight-hour performance of 'Het is theater zoals te verwachten and voorzien was' ('This is theatre as to have been expected, and how it was intended').

1984

The success of his new production, 'De Macht der Theaterlijke Dwaasheden' - presented on the Venice Biënnale in 1984, where he also represented Belgium as a visual artist - provided him with significant international success, debarking on extended tours with his ensemble, within Europe, and to the United States, Japan and Australia.

1987

In context of the Documenta in Kassel, Jan Fabre presented 'De Danssecties', a preliminary study to his opera project. With this ballet, he was also internationally recognized as a choreographer and innovator. An extended tour followed.

1988

'Prometheus Landschaft' (after Aeschylos), a one-time project in the Künstlerhaus Bethanien, in a 'ballpoint-blue' room by Fabre.

1989

Jan Fabre produced three theatre performances based on his own texts: 'Het interview dat sterft ...', 'Het palais om vier uur's morgens ... A.G.' and 'De rëincarnatie van God'.

1990

After three years of intense preparation, Jan Fabvre presented 'Das Glas im Kopf wird vom Glas', the first part of his opera trilogy 'The Minds of Helena Troubleyn', in the Vlaamse Opera in Antwerp. Gerard Mortier commissioned the music by the Polish composer Eugeniusz Knapik.

December. On request of William Forsythe, Fabre created a long choreography for the prestigous Ballet Frankfurt, titled, 'The Sound of One Hand Clapping'. He employed music by Bernd Aloïs Zimmermann and The Doors.

1991

Conception of the theatre performance 'Sweet Temptations', based on his own text. A successful tour of Europe followed. After this full-scale theatre production, Jan Fabre made a number of solo productions based on his own texts for his favoured actress, Els Deceukelier: 'Zij was en zij is zelfs'.

1992

'Wie spreekt mijn gedachte ...' for Marc van Overmeir and 'Vervalsing zoals ze is, onvervalst' again for Deceukelier. Jan Fabre presented 'Silent Screams, Difficult Dreams', the second part of his opera trilogy. The world premiere, took place at the end of Documenta 9 in Kassel, by invitation of Jan Hoet. Here Fabre was also present as a visual artist.

1993

Conception of the third ballet, titled 'Da un'altra faccia del Tempo', followed by extensive touring in Europe, Canada and Japan.

1995

Creation of the fourth ballet, 'Quando la terra si rimette in movimento', a production with Het National Ballet, Amsterdam. 'Drie Solo's, an adaptation of the existing dance solos of earlier choreographies to music by Eugeniusz Knapik, was premiered at KunstenFESTIVALdesArts in Brussels. Later that year, 'Een doodnormale vrouw', the third solo for Els Deceukelier, was first performed in deSingel.

Een doodnormale vrouw   De keizer van het verlies
Een doodnormale vrouw
  
De keizer van het verlies

1996

Creation of 'De keizer van het verlies', a solo performance interpreted by Dirk Roofthooft.

1997

Production of 'Glowing Icons', the last part of Fabre's 'Trilogie van het lichaam'. A sequel to 'Sweet Temptations' and 'Universal Copyrights 1 and 9'. Creation of four solos 'De vier Temperamenten': 'The very seat of honour' with Renée Copraij, 'Lichaampje, lichaampje aan de wand' with Wim Vandekeybus, 'The Pickwick Man' with Marc Vanrunxt and 'Ik ben jaloers op elke zee' with Annamirl Van der Pluijm.


Lichaampje, lichaampje aan de wand   The very seat of honour   Glowing Icons
Lichaampje, lichaampje aan de wand
  
The very seat of honour
  
Glowing Icons

1998

On November 5th, 'THE FIN COMES A LITTLE BIT EARLY THIS SIECLE (but business as usual)', first performed in deSingel, a production, which included Jan Decorte, among others.

THE FIN COMES A LITTLE BIT EARLY THIS SIECLE (but business as usual)   THE FIN COMES A LITTLE BIT EARLY THIS SIECLE (but business as usual)
THE FIN COMES A LITTLE BIT EARLY THIS SIECLE (but business as usual)

1999

On March 16th, 'Het Nut van de Nacht', with Els Deceukelier and Jan Decleir, premièred in Het Toneelhuis.

2000

On March 15th, 'As long as the world needs a warrior's soul' premièred in Hanover. This production with dancers, actors and a rock band went on tour for two years. Creation in Avignon of the dance solo 'My movements are alone like Streetdogs' for dancer Erna Omarsdottir.

As long as the world needs a warrior's soul   As long as the world needs a warrior's soul   My movements are alone like Streetdogs
As long as the world needs a warrior's soul
My movements are alone like Streetdogs

2001

Performance of 'Je suis Sang' on the Cour d'Honneur in Avignon, with 22 actors, dancers and musicians.

2002

Performance of'Het Zwanemeer' with the Koninklijk Ballet van Vlaanderen. Première in the new Brugse concertgebouw. 'Parrots and guinea pigs' the avant première and the first première took place in Bruges and Salamanca, the two cultural capitals, respectively.


Je suis sang   Parrots and guinea pigs   Parrots and guinea pigs
Je suis sang
Parrots and guinea pigs

2003

‘Angel of Death’ created for Avignon Festival. Since the 2003 festival was cancelled due to a strike, this production only opened later, in Italy. The parts were rehearsed by both Jan Decorte and Ivana Jozic. The latter toured with the production. The video film recorded at the Museum of Anatomy in Montpellier features William Forsythe; the music was performed live by Eric Sleichim.

Angel of death   Angel of death
Angel of death

2004

Wagner’s opera ‘Tannhäuser’ opened at La Monnaie opera house in Brussels on 9th June.

February 2004 saw the creation of the French version of ‘Etant donnés’. It forms a diptych with the monologue ‘Zij was en zij is, zelfs’. Performed by Els Deceukelier.

In March 2004 the dance solo ‘Quando l’uomo principale è una donna’ opened in Bogota. After a South American tour it was put on in Europe (Paris). This was immediately followed by an exceptionally extensive international tour. The dancer was Liesbeth Gruwez and is a tribute to Yves Klein. Gruwez bathes in a pool of Mediterranean olive oil.

9 October 2004: world premiere of the controversial performance ‘The Crying Body’ at deSingel.

Quando l’uomo principale è una donna   Quando l’uomo principale è una donna   The Crying Body
Quando l’uomo principale è una donna
The Crying Body

2005

Jan Fabre was ‘artiste associé’ at the Avignon Festival and as such compiled the festival’s programme. He himself created ‘Histoire des larmes’ for the Cour d’Honneur, with 22 dancers, actors and musicians, and revived ‘Je suis sang’.

At this same festival, the French version of the monologue ‘De keizer van het verlies’, which he had created with Dirk Roofthooft in 1996, opened at the Théâtre Municipal in Avignon. Fabre also wrote a sequel to this play, ‘Le roi du plagiaat’, which Dirk Roofthooft also performed.

Lastly, Jan Fabre and Annabel Chambon created ‘Preparatio mortis’, a short dance solo set to music by the composer and organist Bernard Foccroulle, performed at the Temple Saint-Martial in Avignon.

The 2005 Avignon Festival was one of the most controversial ever. It was followed by the appearance of various publications for and against the renewal of the genre that Jan Fabre’s programming had imposed.

In late 2005 ‘Histoire des larmes’ was shown at deSingel, still with François Beukelaers, the ‘chevalier du désespoir’, in the leading role.

In February 2006 the Dutch version of ‘De koning van het plagiaat’ opened at deSingel.

Histoire des larmes   Histoire des larmes
Histoire des larmes

2006

The tour of ‘Quando l’uomo principale è una donna’ continued. Lisbeth Gruwez was replaced by the Korean Sung-Im Her. She travelled to Japan, the United States and other countries.

2007

‘Je suis sang’ was revived for the last time in the USA and Japan.

Jan Fabre created ‘Requiem für eine Metamorphose’ for the Felsenreitschule in Salzburg.

The public launch of the new Troubleyn Theatre takes place in March. This laboratory is intended to develop into a place for rehearsal and experiment and provides space for the work of both Jan Fabre and young researchers and performing artists.

layout

Producties deSingel

DOWNLOADS