Hebel

NYU Skirball presents Hebel, a world-premiere commission choreographed and directed by Slovak-American artist Pavel Zuštiak, director of New York-based Palissimo. Hebel draws upon an evocative, emotionally charged exploration of life’s quest for meaning where the turbulent past and present are alive and the future is envisioned.

Hebel is Zuštiak’s collaboration with scenographer Keith Skretch, composer Christian Frederickson and lighting designer Joe Levasseur.

Taking its title from the Book of Ecclesiastes, Hebel interrogates the text’s key question: “What do you gain from all your work?” The word “hebel” translates as vanity, but also breath, vapor, emptiness, and absurdity. Through an interdisciplinary, strongly visual, and textured approach, Zuštiak mines themes of human ambition, meaning and identity, reflecting on the fleeting nature of life and live performance.