The train—the instrument / the ride—the performance / the passengers—the ensemble and audience / the engineer—the conductor / forward, standing still, backward. Sealed off from the noise of the city, the Fairytale Express moves through the tunnels in four stages, in accordance with a precisely defined musical score. In a subtle play with perception, acoustic features of changing speed and stillness are brought out. In between the stages are stations, at which the sounds we have heard reverberate as personal reminiscences in the 350-million-year-old dolomite rock. The stone becomes audible, and time is stretched out (to eternity?). We feel the pulse, the breath, and the lifeblood of the train, the tunnel, and the mountain and literally experience the peacefulness, serenity, and calm of this place—all based on what was there before. “Don’t take anything but experience, leave nothing but foot or butt prints.” We want to “do what happens anyway” (Robert Musil).

Composition: Seppo Gründler, Robert Lepenik, Eva Ursprung
Engineer: Martin Brachvogel
Production management: Natalie Pinter