HERE BE DRAGONS, Operadicals Vocal Quartet with choir, Music Festival Berne 2024
Franziska Baumann, Bern (CH), artistic direction, composition, voice, live electronics
Tone Åse, Trondheim (NO), composition, voice, live electronics
Alex Nowitz, Berlin (DE), voice, composition, live electronics
Sten Sandell, Stockholm (SE), composition, voice, piano
Moritz Achermann, Bern (CH), conceptual collaboration, choral conducting
Angela Bürger, Bern (CH), scenic and conceptual collaboration
Lola Rosarot, Bern (CH), lighting design
suppléments musicaux , Bern (CH), choir
With “Here be Dragons”, the international vocal quartet operadicals together with the Suppléments Musicaux choir from Berne, explored a diverse vocal terrain in the auditorium of the progr Bern. At the heart of “Here be Dragons” are four compositions by operadicals, which are composed into a spatial sound production using a navigating choir, live electronics and lighting design.
The theme “Here Be Dragons” refers to early world maps, which often illustrated the space beyond the known world with mythical creatures such as sea serpents and sea monsters.
On the Hunt-Lenox globe, which is one of the oldest surviving globes and dates from 1503 to 1510, the inscription HIC SVNT DRACONES can be found in the area of eastern Asia below the equator. The mapmakers wrote “Hic sunt Dracones” in those places that were unknown, threatening and unexplored, as a kind of warning and indication that they were entering a “terra incognita”.
A production by Musikfestival Bern and Franziska Baumann in cooperation with PROGR - Center for Cultural Production. The project was developed as part of Baumann’s artist residency “Salle Blanche” at the PROGR.
With the kind support of Pro Helvetia*, SIS Schweizerische Interpretenstiftung*, Komponistenes Verlagsfond Norway*, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee*, Bürgi-Willert Stiftung*, Stiftung Pro Scientia et Arte, GVB Gebäude Versicherung Bern*, Gesellschaft zu Ober Gerwern*, Gemeinde Köniz*
Videos
Trailer: Here Be Dragons, length 1:28 minutes
Video: Here Be Dragons (2024, Premiere) Music Festival Berne (CH), length 1:07 hours
Here Be Dragons
for vocal quartet, piano, live elektronis, choir, lighting design