GRAZ, AUSTRIA
Graz, Austria, has been the “sister city” to Montclair for sixty years. In order to commemorate the anniversary of our cross-cultural exchange, we selected Graz as the next 49 Waltzes location. Funded in part by a grant from Global Education Center of Montclair State University, (where we teach), and in-kind support from the city of Graz, Dan and I meticulously followed Cage’s random site selection instructions for 49 Waltzes for Graz. In addition we added a separate introductory documentary component: interviews with residents, i.e., the mayor, a mother, a librarian, a teacher, some college students, and an architect; these anecdotal sketches underscore the city’s uniqueness.
“From the most populated city in the Arabic-speaking world, to the narrow alleyways of China’s ancient city, to the deserted streets of Detroit, Friedman and Loewenthal’s vivid interpretation of Cage’s graphic score places an intimate lens on the sights and sounds of global environments.”