Ein Lied auf den Lippen (2024)
A new work for youth orchestra and ensemble, composed by Stephen Menotti and Michelle Barzel Ross to accompany the performance of the children's opera Brundibár by Hans Krása
commissioned by the Orchesterschule Insel with support from the SUISA foundation
commissioned by the Orchesterschule Insel with support from the SUISA foundation
Krása's “Brundibár” is embedded in the commissioned work by Menotti/Ross, which deals with the significance of art in the everyday lives of children, our society, people in refugee camps, deportees and makes us believe - at least for the duration of the performance - in the power of art. Background information
Hans Krása composed the children's opera “Brundibár” in 1938 for a competition in Prague, which was never judged due to the outbreak of the Second World War. After his deportation to Theresienstadt (1942), Krása adapted the scoring to the possibilities in the camp. “Brundibár” was performed 55 times in Theresienstadt. The Nazi regime used excerpts from the opera for its propaganda film “Theresienstadt - Der Führer schenkt den Juden eine Stadt” (Terezin - The Führer gives the Jews a city) in order to simulate the normal living conditions of the deportees for the public. Hans Krása and almost all of the performers were murdered in Auschwitz shortly before the end of the war. Greta Hofmeister Klingsberg (1929-2022) - described in an impressive way how the children, as soon as they slipped into their roles, were able to forget Theresienstadt and feel like human beings for a few hours.
Michelle Ross and Stephen Menotti's work “A Song on the Lips” is based on a metaphorical poem from a letter to a deported child. It is intended to honor the courage of both Hans Krása and the children who sang and performed the play in Theresienstadt, while at the same time creating an artistic framework to reveal the profound aspects of “Brundibár” that are still extremely relevant today. The children and young people developed material in improvisation workshops with Menotti. Ross and Menotti firmly believe that this form of collaboration, in which the children and young people are the focus, is crucial to honoring the memory of “Brundibár”.
What do music and art mean to people living in inhumane conditions, what meaning does it have for the children and young people involved in the project? What role do memories and “cultural baggage” play in this? How do we feel when we make music, why do people make music, why are there music projects in prisons, refugee camps, slums, etc.? These questions bring us closer to the musical lives of the children who performed “Brundibár” in Theresienstadt. Here, too, the focus is on the vitality that making music together can give.
May you, dear audience, also go home strengthened by confidence! Dorothee Mariani, Artistic Director of the Insel Orchestra School
For a further discussion of the topic, we recommend that children and young people read
Kathy Tracer, Die Kinder aus Theresienstadt
Maurice Sendac, Brundibár
-Dorothee Mariani
Insel Orchestra School
The Insel orchestra school in Basel is something special: 70 children from 31 nations - from kindergarten to upper secondary school, mainly from Kleinbasel - learn to play a string instrument free of charge. In return, they commit to attending all the dates on the annual schedule, as well as adequate preparation for lessons and rehearsals - in short, commitment and dedication. Every year, the Insel orchestra school implements interdisciplinary projects. The children and the respective professional stage artists work together to create projects of a high artistic standard.
Ensemble “le raid merveilleux”
The ensemble “le raid merveilleux” was founded in November 2019 for the Martinů Festtage family concert with the Swiss premiere of Bohuslav Martinů's work of the same name by Stefano Mariani. It consists of young musicians living in Basel with a special interest in educational projects. The focus is on works from the 20th century, e.g. Bohuslav Martinů, Rolf Looser, Benjamin Britten, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitry Shostakovich, Miloslav Kabeláč, Detlev Glanert and Hans Werner Henze.
Contributors
Orchestral School Insel: Iryna Polova (violin/viola); Diart Krasniqi, Valerie Wolf, Kayunika Kajan, Leonor Gomes, Kayusika Kajan, Thyago van den Brink (violins); Jari Szekely, Benjamin Sutter, Salomé Kekeli Groh, Flurina Briggen (violas); Anna Richter, Richard Zhou, Laurin Briggen, Liv Dill, Larissa van den Brink (cellos); Noah Rocha, Diego Wörner Suazo, Dyma Cherchyl, Leticia Gomes (double bass).
Ensemble le raid merveilleux, conducted by Stefano Mariani: Meret Pellaton (1st violin); Julia Didier (2nd violin); Laura Morales (3rd violin); Sofia De Falco (4th violin). violin); Miquel Garcia Ramon (violoncello), Pietro Elia Barcellona (double bass); Iker Sáez-Liébana (flute); Miha Grmek (clarinet); Jonas Wilhalm (trumpet); Daniel Daiu (guitar); Lucas Hettinger (percussion); Alexandra Kasatkina (piano+ and accompaniment).
Daniele Pintaudi (Acting/Organetto)
Céline Meier (direction)
Tatyana Naidu with pupils from the Insel primary school (costume/projection); Jürgen Feigl (lighting and stage design)
Dorothee Mariani (artistic concept/study children)
Program
Stephen Menotti /Michelle Barzel Ross “A song on the lips” Commissioned work (2024) UA 20'
Hans Krása (1899-1944): “Brundibár” 35'
Opera for children - Terezín version (1943) Libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister
in German text version by Frank Harders- Wuthenow and Matthias Harre Hans Krása
Approx. 60 minutes without intermission
The performance begins in the Bar du Nord
On 28.11. at 19:15 there will be an introduction to the program in the Bar du Nord.
Hans Krása composed the children's opera “Brundibár” in 1938 for a competition in Prague, which was never judged due to the outbreak of the Second World War. After his deportation to Theresienstadt (1942), Krása adapted the scoring to the possibilities in the camp. “Brundibár” was performed 55 times in Theresienstadt. The Nazi regime used excerpts from the opera for its propaganda film “Theresienstadt - Der Führer schenkt den Juden eine Stadt” (Terezin - The Führer gives the Jews a city) in order to simulate the normal living conditions of the deportees for the public. Hans Krása and almost all of the performers were murdered in Auschwitz shortly before the end of the war. Greta Hofmeister Klingsberg (1929-2022) - described in an impressive way how the children, as soon as they slipped into their roles, were able to forget Theresienstadt and feel like human beings for a few hours.
Michelle Ross and Stephen Menotti's work “A Song on the Lips” is based on a metaphorical poem from a letter to a deported child. It is intended to honor the courage of both Hans Krása and the children who sang and performed the play in Theresienstadt, while at the same time creating an artistic framework to reveal the profound aspects of “Brundibár” that are still extremely relevant today. The children and young people developed material in improvisation workshops with Menotti. Ross and Menotti firmly believe that this form of collaboration, in which the children and young people are the focus, is crucial to honoring the memory of “Brundibár”.
What do music and art mean to people living in inhumane conditions, what meaning does it have for the children and young people involved in the project? What role do memories and “cultural baggage” play in this? How do we feel when we make music, why do people make music, why are there music projects in prisons, refugee camps, slums, etc.? These questions bring us closer to the musical lives of the children who performed “Brundibár” in Theresienstadt. Here, too, the focus is on the vitality that making music together can give.
May you, dear audience, also go home strengthened by confidence! Dorothee Mariani, Artistic Director of the Insel Orchestra School
For a further discussion of the topic, we recommend that children and young people read
Kathy Tracer, Die Kinder aus Theresienstadt
Maurice Sendac, Brundibár
-Dorothee Mariani
Insel Orchestra School
The Insel orchestra school in Basel is something special: 70 children from 31 nations - from kindergarten to upper secondary school, mainly from Kleinbasel - learn to play a string instrument free of charge. In return, they commit to attending all the dates on the annual schedule, as well as adequate preparation for lessons and rehearsals - in short, commitment and dedication. Every year, the Insel orchestra school implements interdisciplinary projects. The children and the respective professional stage artists work together to create projects of a high artistic standard.
Ensemble “le raid merveilleux”
The ensemble “le raid merveilleux” was founded in November 2019 for the Martinů Festtage family concert with the Swiss premiere of Bohuslav Martinů's work of the same name by Stefano Mariani. It consists of young musicians living in Basel with a special interest in educational projects. The focus is on works from the 20th century, e.g. Bohuslav Martinů, Rolf Looser, Benjamin Britten, Igor Stravinsky, Dmitry Shostakovich, Miloslav Kabeláč, Detlev Glanert and Hans Werner Henze.
Contributors
Orchestral School Insel: Iryna Polova (violin/viola); Diart Krasniqi, Valerie Wolf, Kayunika Kajan, Leonor Gomes, Kayusika Kajan, Thyago van den Brink (violins); Jari Szekely, Benjamin Sutter, Salomé Kekeli Groh, Flurina Briggen (violas); Anna Richter, Richard Zhou, Laurin Briggen, Liv Dill, Larissa van den Brink (cellos); Noah Rocha, Diego Wörner Suazo, Dyma Cherchyl, Leticia Gomes (double bass).
Ensemble le raid merveilleux, conducted by Stefano Mariani: Meret Pellaton (1st violin); Julia Didier (2nd violin); Laura Morales (3rd violin); Sofia De Falco (4th violin). violin); Miquel Garcia Ramon (violoncello), Pietro Elia Barcellona (double bass); Iker Sáez-Liébana (flute); Miha Grmek (clarinet); Jonas Wilhalm (trumpet); Daniel Daiu (guitar); Lucas Hettinger (percussion); Alexandra Kasatkina (piano+ and accompaniment).
Daniele Pintaudi (Acting/Organetto)
Céline Meier (direction)
Tatyana Naidu with pupils from the Insel primary school (costume/projection); Jürgen Feigl (lighting and stage design)
Dorothee Mariani (artistic concept/study children)
Program
Stephen Menotti /Michelle Barzel Ross “A song on the lips” Commissioned work (2024) UA 20'
Hans Krása (1899-1944): “Brundibár” 35'
Opera for children - Terezín version (1943) Libretto by Adolf Hoffmeister
in German text version by Frank Harders- Wuthenow and Matthias Harre Hans Krása
Approx. 60 minutes without intermission
The performance begins in the Bar du Nord
On 28.11. at 19:15 there will be an introduction to the program in the Bar du Nord.
