Subvocal is the second instalment of a trilogy that uses hypnosis to examine the cognitive effects of new technologies. The work asks how they shape how we interpret, trust, and respond to the world, often bypassing critical reflection.

The piece uses hypnotic suggestion, music, and Ganzflicker light effects to create an “opera for the mind.” The performance is narrated by Aapo Nikkanen through hypnotic suggestion, while the orchestra is electronically conducted by Raudie McLeod.

Subvocal treats the unconscious not as a neutral inner space, but as contested territory — shaped by neoliberal extraction, influence, and psychological operations, yet still open to emancipation and renewed agency. In the piece, the audience is hypnotised and their cognitive dependence on technology briefly suspended. Attention is reoriented through suggestion, metaphorical storytelling, and audiovisual stimuli, allowing unconscious mechanisms to become visible.

Subvocal premiered within the Vorbrenner programme at BRUX – Freies Theater Innsbruck, followed by a performance at Funkhaus Wien curated by Never at Home (February 2026). The production has been supported by Kone Foundation, Vorbrenner (funded by Stadt Innsbruck and Land Tirol), EU Mobility Funding, and Never at Home.