BERLIN — In ‘An Opera Out of Time’ at Hamburger Bahnhof, artist Petrit Halilaj revisits his opera ‘Syrigana,’ initially performed with the Kosovo Philharmonic near Runik, Kosovo, on June 25, 2025. This marks Halilaj’s first significant institutional showcase. While restaging performances without performers can often fall short, ‘Syrigana’ uses original objects and music to craft a unique yet recognizable experience. Props, costumes, and set pieces of the opera are arranged in vignettes across a vast hall, including a life-sized horse sculpture in a pink clearing and figures in animal masks in a high window, all with an audio and lighting setup that complements the unfolding narrative.
This exhibition invites visitors to relax on a large bank covered in Balkan kilim rugs, inviting an immersive experience akin to reading a novel. ‘Syrigana’ is the culmination of Halilaj’s ongoing thematic explorations, featuring wearable sculptures and proscenium-like objects. Notably, the show presents objects like a yellow taxidermied canary and a large moth made from kilim rugs, dating back to Halilaj’s early works of the mid-2010s, created by repurposing specimens from the closed Kosovo Museum of Natural History.
Halilaj’s creations, including clay-pot bodied creatures with wire legs, reflect his hometown, a site rich in ancient artifacts. Despite significant historical artifacts being taken to Serbia and never returned, Halilaj animates these as creatures in his video ‘When They Came Here They Found People (Adam and Eve),’ capturing oral histories from Runik. This approach highlights the cultural weight of these objects and offers a fantastical narrative in light of their potential permanent loss, addressing ongoing ethnic and national conflicts in the Balkans.
The exhibition explores dualities—real and imagined, ethnic and national, healing and trauma—through theater sets, animated creatures, and installations. By examining these contrasts, Halilaj invites viewers to reflect on various impasses, offering a perspective on neutralizing violence and fostering understanding. ‘An Opera Out of Time’ continues at Hamburger Bahnhof (Invalidenstraße 50, Berlin, Germany) until May 31, curated by Catherine Nichols with Emily Finkelstein.
