Officially founded in

1989

, the Germany based

SOPOR AETERNUS & THE ENSEMBLE OF SHADOWS

is one of the last of the very few dark groups/projects in Europe (in fact, on this planet), who have based the

sacred trinity

of their

music

,

poetry

and

visual appearance

on the explicit emphasis of the highly individual expression of pain, isolation, depression, token suicides and the desperate search for the »sacred reunion«; all conceived and acted out by SOPOR's sole protagonist … – the

transgendered

and utterly beautiful Goddess (and likewise tragically

Butoh

-esque creature)

ANNA-VARNEY CANTODEA

.
 
   Perhaps best described as

»introverted exhibitionism«

, the holistic concept of

ANNA- VARNEY

's ritualistic/Jungian art is not necessarily rooted in the grounds of a commonly accepted sense of aesthetics … – which is one of the many aspects that gives his/her work its serious and most unique character.
 
   Though the music playfully fuses elements of classical, baroque, medieval, and even electronic music, the essence of

SOPOR AETERNUS & THE ENSEMBLE OF SHADOWS

always remains entirely

»gothic«

.
 
   Despite the fact that to this very day

ANNA-VARNEY

still refuses to perform her magic(k)al work live in front of a human audience,

SOPOR AETERNUS & THE ENSEMBLE OF SHADOWS

have long gathered cult status in underground circles worldwide.
 
   

Strongly recommended to be approached only with an

open heart and mind

,

the profound darkness

(and occasionally subversive humour)

of ANNA-VARNEY's multi-layered

(yet fragile)

art is mainly intended as a

spiritual healing-process for the wounded soul

…