Infos pratiques
Location
Théâtre Varia
Duration
1 hour 10 minutes
Languages
Français
Prices

Pay what you can

€13 / €17 / €22 / €27 / €36

Public
Ages 14 and over
Accessibility
pmr
09—11.12.2026

Empty Orchestra, Longing for You

Habib Ben Tanfous &
FiNEK

As part of the

CRUSH
Danse
Revoir

A dance-filled journey through the world of karaoke, ranging from exuberant emotions to self-reinvention.

Dates and Times

Tickets
Tickets
Tickets

Summary

Imagine… You choose a song and jot it down on a piece of paper. Your heart is racing. You grab the microphone and, in front of a crowd of strangers, you start to sing… In Orchestre vide, longing for you, five characters as eclectic as they are unique explore karaoke as a space where all outpourings are possible. In the gaps between the songs, their struggle plays out between the social self and the self that overflows, between the desire to restrain oneself and the irrepressible need to tell one’s story.   

‘Karaoke’ is a Japanese portmanteau meaning ‘empty orchestra’, referring to the performer singing alone, without musicians. For the South Korean sociologist Young-ha Kim, this practice represents the resurgence of a need to express our artistic desire. More than mere entertainment or a brief interlude, it is a space to reveal and reinvent oneself, free from judgement or the demand for perfection. Part dream, part reality; an individual and collective experience, it is also fertile ground for memories or nostalgia for a future yet to come.  

What if, for one evening, we were to (re)discover unknown or forgotten facets of ourselves, stifled by daily life and societal norms? What if other stories were possible? With Orchestre vide, longing for you, Habib Ben Tanfous composes a tribute to vulnerability, seen as a powerful vehicle for connection and community. Ahead of the show, we invite you to dive into the world of love songs by taking part in the karaoke session held every evening, one hour before the performance. 

As part of the CRUSH festival.

Orchestre vide, Longing for you / Habib Ben Tanfous
Orchestre vide, Longing for you / Habib Ben Tanfous
Orchestre vide, Longing for you / Habib Ben Tanfous
Marc Domage
Cast

Co-written and performed by Habib Ben Tanfous, Elise Ludinard, Thi-Mai Nguyen, Ludovico Palladini and Adeola Slayers 


Choreography, concept and direction: Habib Ben Tanfous Artistic collaboration: Elisa Firouzfar   

Lighting: Aurore Leduc  

Sound design: Theo Rota  

Script and dramaturgy: Hanna El Fakir  

Dramaturgical supervision: Adeline Rosenstein  

Costume design: Amandine Laval 

Costume production: Ateliers du Varia – Théâtre & Studio – Fabienne Damiean, Clovis Brenez 

Choreographic supervision: Manon Santkin
Set design: Micha Morasse  

Arrangement and vocal coaching Julie Rens  

Video design: Dimitri Petrovic 

Credits

Produced and distributed by AMA – France Morin, Clara Schmitt, Emi Parot, Babacar Ba 

Executive production: AMA, FINEK, supported by RAVIE ASBL, Théâtre Varia 

Co-production Théâtre Varia, Charleroi danse, Les Halles de Schaerbeek, CN D Centre national de la Danse, Les SUBS, Atelier de Paris - CDCN, Mille Plateaux - CCN La Rochelle, La Coop asbl and Shelter Prod 

With the support of the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, Department of Artistic Creation, Wallonia-Brussels International, Wallonia-Brussels Theatre/Dance, shelter.be, ING and the Belgian federal government’s tax shelter 

Residencies at D-iD, Eisenstadt, Théâtre Varia, Studio Thor, La Bellone, CN D Centre national de la Danse, CENTQUATRE-PARIS, les SUBS, Atelier de Paris, Charleroi danse. 

 

Tour dates

Varia – Theatre & Studio (Brussels, BE) Premiere: 16–24 April 2026 

Les Ecuries, Charleroi danse (Charleroi, BE) 15 and 16 May 2026 

Atelier de Paris / June Events 2026, (Paris, FR) 13 June 2026 

Festival de la Cité, (Lausanne, CH) 4 and 5 July 2026 

Les SUBS, (Lyon, FR) 8 and 9 July 2026 

Halles de Schaerbeek (Schaerbeek, BE) February 2027 

CAMPING 2027 / Centre national de la Danse (Pantin, FR) June 2027 

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