ABOUT

The composer duo SAGN has created a musical work about humankind’s relationship to nature. With the aid of the artistic team they have developed a concert performance that touches on some of the most central problems the world faces today. The temperature is rising, the weather is becoming more and more extreme, and newspapers claim that by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic than fish.

Bodil Lunde Rørtveit’s versatile voice is at the heart of the work alongside one of Europe´s most accomplished and innovative percussionists; Terje Isungset. Though the performance is without words, that does not mean it does not express an opinion; on the contrary, it does so with force. The set is inspired by Chris Jordan’s photographs of bird carcasses with plastic in their stomachs, built up from feathers, bones and plastic waste. This is also the basis for a unique soundscape, and all the instruments are made out of reused plastic elements. Through an auditive and visual universe we look at how we as individuals and as a society create a common future.

Sustain premiered at Bergen International Festival (Festspillene i Bergen) May 2017. Excerpts from the performance and interview with members of the team can also be seen at Sky News' documentary about the ”plastic whale” found outside of Bergen in 2017.

Bodil Lunde Rørtveit, composition, conceptual development, vocals, percussion
Jørn Lavoll, composition, conceptual development, tubulum, vocals
Terje Isungset, percussion
Annlaug Børsheim, strings, vocals
Magnus Brandseth, wind instruments, vocals
Vibeke Flesland Havre, conceptual development, direction, dramaturgy
Silje Sandodden Kise, conceptual development, set design, instrument design, costume design
Thorolf Thuestad, sound design, instrument design
Silje Grimstad, lighting design
Hans Kristian Senneseth, instrument design, instrument building
Even Kråkenes, set building
Hjørdis Steinsvik, production

BODIL LUNDE RØRTVEIT

COMPOSER/VOCALS

Bodil Lunde Rørtveit, composer and artist is known for her intense and scenic presence, and her fascinating voice. In 2012 she started the composer duo SAGN with Jørn Lavoll. In 2013 they made the concert/dance performance Munch Remastered, inspired by Edvard Munch's art.
Bodil's expression is characterized by wide range from the raw, sometimes brutal, to the beautiful and more sophisticated expression.

JØRN LAVOLL

COMPOSER/MUSICIAN

Jørn Lavoll is a composer and music producer, making music for film, stage and computer games, including Vennebyen and the acknowledged video game Teslagrad. He runs his own sound studio, and since 2012 he has worked with Bodil Lunde Rørtveit in the composer duo SAGN. Jørn is always looking for the untouched rhythms and pure feelings in the music. He is inspired by world music, folk music and classical traditions, often with harmonics of funk and progrock.

MAGNUS BRANDSETH

MUSICIAN

Magnus Brandseth, tuba artist, instructor and conductor is a versatile musician, having reached an impressive level of skill and insight on many instruments and in many genres. His main instrument, however, is the tuba, which he started playing at just 8 years of age, and learning from two of the top tubists in Norway. One of his main goals as a musician is to make the tuba available for a broader audience, and to move boundaries for what is possible to do on a tuba.

HANS KRISTIAN SENNESETH

INSTRUMENT BUILDER

Hans Kristian Senneseth has been in charge of the design, construction and adaptation of the instruments, in close cooperation with Silje Sandodden Kise and the musicians.

SILJE SANDODDEN KISE

SET DESIGNER

Silje Sandodden Kise is a set designer and costume designer. She works with theater, dance and opera, from main stage productions to experimental pieces. She is known for performances such as Anne Pedersdotter at The National Stage in Bergen, and several children's operas at The Norwegian National Opera. She was part of the team making Veggen (The Wall) at Hordaland Theatre, which won the Heddaprice for best children's show in 2012.

TERJE ISUNGSET

MUSICIAN

Terje Isungset is one of Europe’s most accomplished and innovative percussionists. With over two decades experience in jazz and Scandinavian music he is taking these types of music far beyond their traditional boundaries. Crafting his own instruments from Norwegian natural elements such as arctic birch, granite, slate, sheep bells and even ice, he is highly recommended to those sensible to the poetry and simplicity of sounds.

THOROLF THUESTAD

SOUND DESIGNER

Thorolf Thuestad is a sound artist, composer, sound designer, art and music technician.
Among his numerous projects he has created sound design for full scale operas, he has done live processing and sampling of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and has also provided sound design for many theatre productions. He has also scored a number of short and feature films as well as contemporary dance shows, and has received multiple contemporary music commissions.

HJØRDIS M. STEINSVIK

PRODUCER

Hjørdis Steinsvik is a freelance producer based in Bergen. She works with a number of freelance artists and various music and theatre projects throughout the year.

VIBEKE FLESLAND HAVRE

DIRECTOR

Vibeke Flesland Havre is a freelance actor, script deverloper and director. She has worked as an actress at The National Stage in Bergen, Teateret Vårt in Molde, Akershus Theatre) and numerous other theater companies both in Norway and abroad. In recent years, she has produced a number of performances both on established stages and in the freelance field. In 2015 she received the Pernille statuette for her work, both as actor and director.

ANNLAUG BØRSHEIM

MUSICIAN

Annlaug Børsheim is a fiddler, guitarist and singer-songwriter from Norway. Although safely rooted in traditional Norwegian folk music she doesn't mind borrowing from other genres to get her compositions across the way she wants to. Annlaug has collaborated with a lot of musicians from different genres, from hiphop to jazz and different folkmusic traditions.

SILJE GRIMSTAD

LIGHT DESIGNER

Silje Grimstad, freelance light designer based in Bergen. She is a crossover designer working with theatre, dance, independent companies, comedy and touring artists. Silje have longterm cooperations with Winter guests, Aurora, Dagfinn Lyngbø, Vibeke Flesland Havre and a long range of independent bands and theatre companies.

EVEN KRÅKENES

SET BUILDER

Even Kråkenes works at Den Nationale Scene in Bergen. From a bunch of plastic bottles he has built the majestic tree in the show.

PERFORMANCES

Sustain with Bergen philharmonic orchestra, Grieghallen, Bergen, Norway
Saturday January 25th 2020, 14:00 tickets here

Klimafestivalen § 112 , Oslo, Norway
Friday 4. of January 19:00 and 21:00 free tickets here

Cornerteateret, Bergen, Norway
Sunday 23. of September 17:00 and 19:00 tickets here
Den Kulturelle Skolesekken (Norwegian arts program for schools)
Full performance 17th -21st of September 2018

Marked for musikk, Larvik, Norway
Thursday 25th of October 2018 - read more here

Tysnesfest 2018, Tysnes, Norway
Excerpt Friday 13th of July 13:30 see festivalprogramme here

Kongsbergjazz 2018, Kongsberg, Norway
Friday 6th of July - tickets here

Festspillene i Bergen/Bergen International Festival, Cornerteateret, Bergen, Norway
Full performance 25th of May 2017 20:00
Full performance 26th of May 2017 18:00 and 20:00

Den Kulturelle Skolesekken (Norwegian arts program for schools), Cornerteateret, Bergen, Norway
Full performance 23th of May 2017 10:30 and 12:30
Full performance 3rd-7th of April 10:30 and 12:30

EXCERPTS
Bergen Chamber/Bergen Næringsråd - annual conference opening
Excerpt 16th of November 2018

Ceremony in memory of the plastic whale, Clean Shores, Sotra, Norway
Excerpt 28th of January 2018

Opening of the Friluftskonferanse by Norsk friluftsråd, Bergen, Norway
Excerpt 8th of June 2017

Opening of the exhibition The Plastic Whale, The University Museum, Bergen, Norway
Excerpt 1st of June 2017

Festspillene i Bergen/Bergen International Festival Opening Ceremony, Torgalmenningen, Bergen
Excerpt 24th of May 2017