Sharp cry of alarm against nationalism, for choir and orchestra
HYMN TO LOVE is an orchestral time bomb and a razor-sharp complaint against a Europe that closes its borders. Marta Górnicka, founder of the famous Chorus of Women, wants to raise the alarm against the nationalist revival, which also started in her heimat Poland. HYMN TO LOVE discusses how every nation likes to forget its past. And how, at the same moment, the past relentlessly repeats itself.
This work mixes patriotic, religious or traditional songs with the rap culture. A choir of twenty-five singers condemns the hyprocrisy of the rulers and wants to remind us of our black history. In this energetic piece of music Górnicka and her choir stand on the barricades to question notions such as 'we' and 'they'. A necessary reminder in hard times.
Marta Górnicka has developed a special method for vocal training that aims at finding an organic voice. She has given workshops about this method worldwide. Górnicka is also appreciated as the founder of the famous Chorus of Women. Magnificat, the second production of the choir from 2012, was showered with awards.
Two years later MOTHER COURAGE WON'T REMAIN SILENT . A CHORUS FOR WAR TIME premièred in Tel Aviv. For this Górnicka brought together a sixty-headed choir of Arab and jewish mothers, Israeli soldiers and Arab children. In this way the performance gave groups from conflicting communities an opportunity to express extreme emotions and to start off an indirect interaction, while otherwise they are separated by an invisible barrier.
The success of the piece led to another project, M(OTHER) COURAGE in which Górnicka spoke out against the neonationalist madness and the terror in Germany and Europe. Her choir wondered which fear is comprehensible for the other and which one is rather irrational. For instance, it drew attention to communities that see nothing outside themselves. Nacktkritik.be called it one of the best German-speaking performances of 2015.
“Precision and energy, dynamism and rhythmical perfection. Hymn to Love is a masterpiece.” – Stefan Drajewski, Glos Wielkopolski
Free buss:
* 18/11: Departure at 17h from Kortrijk
Marta Górnicka
Hymn to Love
CONCEPTION, WRITTING AND DIRECTOR Marta Górnicka assisted by Arnold Prządka / MUSIC Teoniki Rożynek, assisted by Joanna Piech-Sławecka / CHOREGRAPHY Anna Godowska, assisted by Anna Krysiak / DRAMATURGY Agata Adamiecka / WITH Sylwia Achu, Anna Andrzejewska, Maria Chleboś, Konrad Cichoń, Piotr Dąbrowski, Tymon Dąbrowski, Maciej Dużyński, Anna Gierczyńska, Paula Głowacka, Maria Haile, Anna Jagłowska, Wojciech Jaworski, Borys Jaźnicki, Katarzyna Jaźnicka, Ewa Konstanciak, Irena Lipczyńska, Kamila Michalska, Malgorzata Nowacka, Izabela Ostolska, Filip Piotr Rutkowski, Michał Sierosławski, Ewa Sołtysiak, Kaja Stępkowska, Ewa Szumska, Anastazja Żak / SCENOGRAPHY Robert Rumas / COSTUMES Anna Maria Karczmarska, assisted by Agnieszka Majkutewicz / LIGHTS Thomacz Sierotko / PUPPETS Konrad Czarkowski (Kony Puppets) / LIGHTING DESIGN Artur Sienicki / SET MANAGEMENT Andrzej Szwaczyk / COPRODUCTION CHORUS OF WOMEN Foundation, Teatr Polski de Poznan, Ringlokschuppen Ruhr, Maxim Gorki Theater / COLLABORATORS Goethe-Institut, Center for Contemporary Art Ujazdowski Castle / WITH THE HELP OF Office National de Diffusion Artistique (ONDA), Ville de Varsovie, Ville de Poznan and Kunststiftung NRW.
