In 2012, Apparat (Sascha Ring) began a new scope of activity with the theatre. He composed the music for a production of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ by Sebastian…
In 2012, Apparat (Sascha Ring) began a new scope of activity with the theatre. He composed the music for a production of Tolstoy’s ‘War and Peace’ by Sebastian Hartmann, one of the most influential theater directors in the German speaking area. After the performance at the renowned Ruhrfestspiele and the Leipzig Theater, the work received the distinction of being invited to the Berlin Theatertreffen, which is the German-language theater equivalent of an Oscar for the movies. Apparat’s music was released as an album on Mute.
In 2013 and 2014, Ring was bombarded by the wildly enthusiastic reactions to the second Moderat album. “I’ve heard this tune about a thousand times. It’s like a drug,” said Berghain DJ Marcel Dettmann of Moderat’s ‘Bad Kingdom’. “Best live show I’ve seen this year,” commented one Resident Advisor critic.
Ring had developed a taste for theater work. On his days off he composed the music for ‘Traumland’ – nominated for the Swiss film prize – and most recently the score for ‘Giovane favoloso’ by Italian director/screenwriter Mario Martone. It came as a complete surprise when Ring was awarded the Premio Piero Piccioni film score prize at the Venice Film Festival in the summer of 2014 for his work on the film about the legendary poet Giacomo Leopardi. With his music, Apparat developed a personal perception of the world into an emotional framework of utterly original beauty, in the words of the prize jury. After that, Sebastian Hartmann called again. Ring is currently working with him on a production of Dostoyevsky’s ‘Demons’ for Germany’s biggest theatrical stage, the historical Schauspiel Frankfurt (premiere on 30 January). At the same time, Ring is composing the music for two international movies that are still in production and awaiting release.
In the fall, Apparat will leave the commotion of Moderat behind and tour across theaters and more intimate concert halls in Europe, playing a program based on the ‘War & Peace’ album. In 2015, the restless musician will play a few exclusive festival gigs during the summer and then spend the winter touring throughout Australia and Asia.
