Diverse characters gather for the memorial of a once-shining director, each bringing their own grievances, hopes, and secrets.
They are all traveling to the capital for the grand memorial service of Simon Muthesius, a once-glorious theater director and legendary artistic director whose public fame had faded long before his sudden death. Traveling in separate cars, the incoming mourners dissect their relationships with the deceased: Karl, the estranged son trying to find posthumous peace; Beat, the brilliant dramaturg who fell behind; Nathalia, a demanding diva who owes her stardom to him; and Shadgi, an Iranian immigrant whom Muthesius elevated from a cleaning crew to a master make-up artist. As these larger-than-life characters converge upon two separate memorial receptions, a web of old jealousies, secret affairs, and artistic scores to settle comes to light.
“With every work, Alain Claude Sulzer demonstrates his commitment to form and an incomparable feel for language and style.” Jury’s statement for the 2025 Solothurn Literature Prize
