"Le Naufragé" de Thomas Bernhard
Summary
This episode of Théâtre et compagnie features actor Jacques Gamblin and musician Anthony Capelli performing Thomas Bernhard’s text "The Naufragé." The narrative explores the obsessive memories of a narrator regarding his friend, the pianist Glenn Gould, and their mutual acquaintance Wertheimer. It delves into themes of artistic genius, isolation, and the destructive nature of perfectionism, contrasting Gould’s reclusive brilliance with Wertheimer’s tragic decline.
Topics discussed
Introduction: The death of Glenn Gould and the narrator's context
Intense study sessions with Gould and Horowitz in Salzburg
Reflections on virtuosity and the narrator's self-assessment
The 'Mountain of Suicide' and the spiritual friendship with Wertheimer
Gould's hatred of public performance and reclusive lifestyle
Gould's isolation in his forest house and perfectionism
Wertheimer's sacrifice of his career for his sister
The narrator as the sole survivor of the trio
Guilt over Wertheimer's suicide and the narrator's inaction
Wertheimer's despair and the narrator's failed essay on Gould
Gould's genius versus the narrator's mediocrity
Destruction of drafts and the physicality of pianists
Anecdotes from the Nazi sculptor's house and Gould's humor
The desire to become the instrument: 'I want to be the Steinway'
Wertheimer's funeral and the absence of flowers
Wertheimer's life as a series of dead ends
Wertheimer's erratic behavior and return to the piano
The disordered piano and the burning of papers
Conclusion: Publication details and upcoming lectures
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