Livet

PREMIERE of the concert “Livet” | Poland / Norway / Bulgaria / Ukraine

Creators: Fabryka Sztuki w Łodzi / Art Factory in Lodz, Teatr CHOREA / CHOREA Theatre, Visjoner Teater

Direction: Erik Hillestad, Juni Dahr, Tomasz Rodowicz

Music direction: Piotr Klimek

Music director assistant: Maciej Cempura

Poetry texts: Nils-Aslak Valkeapää  / Polish translation: Justyna Czechowska

Scenography, costumes: Mar­ta Góźdź - El Bruz­da

Sound: Vadim Radishevskiy

Producer: Ola Shaya

Choir: Maciej Bednarek, Maja Caban, Joanna Chmielecka, Artur Chrzanowski, Zoryana Dybovska, Joanna Filarska, Łukasz Filipow, Michał Jóźwik, Marcin Kobyliński, Ewa Łukasiewicz, Justyna Sobieraj-Bednarek, Maciej Staniecki, Elina Toneva

Musicians: Tord Gustavsen (piano), Marja Mortensson (vocal), Eivind Aarset (guitar), Tore Brunborg (tenor saxophone), Hubert Zemler (percussion), Piotr Rodowicz (double bass)

Premiere: August 27, 2023, International Theatre Festival Retroperspektywy

Date: 27.08.2023 / Sunday

Time: 8 pm

Place: Concert Hall, University of Music in Lodz, 2A Żubardzka Street

Admission: free / prior booking and collection of free tickets is required

Booking of free tickets: from July 21, 2023 / via the online BOOKING FORM

Collection of free tickets: from July 21, 2023 / at the festival office

Duration: 90 minutes

Viewers' age: no limitations

DESCRIPTION OF THE CONCERT

„Livet” (“Life” in Norwegian) is an international musical and theatrical project carried out in 2023 by Art Factory (Fabryka Sztuki) in Łódź as part of ACT_IN_OUT project, financed by Iceland, Lichtenstein and Norway, within the framework of European Economic Area and Norway grants. 

The aim of this project is an encounter of four cultures and four different musical traditions, revolving around a common motto, expressing care for our planet. „Livet” is a contemporary oratorio for the Earth, composed and arranged by Piotr Klimek for four soloists, a choir consisting of twelve singers and a 5-member jazz band of Polish and Norwegian origin. This music is inspired by traditional songs from Bulgaria, Ukraine, Poland and Norway. Selected musical plots of four European traditions tell about an unbreakable bond between a human being and nature and are all about taking care of our planet and uncertainty about the survival of mankind. We would like to remind ourselves and the listeners that we have got not much time left to respect and cherish life on this planet. 

The following musicians confirmed their participation in the project: Tord Gustavsen, Eivind Aarset and Tore Brunborg from Norway, Hubert Zemler and Piotr Rodowicz from Poland. Solo parts will be sung by: Elina Toneva (Bulgaria), Zoriana Dybovska (Ukraine), Marja Mortensson (Norway). Bilingual narration will be conducted by an outstanding Visjoner Teater actress - Juni Dahr, and CHOREA Theatre director - Tomasz Rodowicz.

The show's release will take place in Łódź on August 27, 2023, at a concert hall of the University of Music in Łódź, during the finale of the International Theatre Festival Retroperspektywy 2023: GENERATIONS. The music will be recorded in the studio in September 2023. The concert will be performed live for the second time in st. Jacob’s church in Oslo.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Piotr Klimek - a composer and a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague (1997) and Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań (institute of composition in the class of Grażyna Pstrokońska-Navratil). He received his Ph.D. of Musical Arts in the discipline of composition in 2003 (Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań). He has had his extra one-to-one tutorials with Prof. Marek Jasiński and Prof. Włodzimierz Kotoński. Since 1998 he has been a lecturer of musical subjects at the University of Szczecin and the Academy of Art in Szczecin. A visiting professor of composition at the Royal Conservatoire in the Hague in 2003 and the Zurich University of Arts in 2009. As of 2009 a visiting professor at West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin. He cooperates with the National Academies of Dramatic Art in Warsaw and Krakow. A musical consultant of cultural institutions in Szczecin. The director of Centre for Promotion and Development at the Academy of Art in Szczecin between the years 2010 and 2011 and as of 2012 Artistic Affairs and International relations Deputy Chancellor of that entity. The director of Animation Theatre (Teatr Animacji) in Poznań since 2017. The grant holder of Friends of Szczecin Society Burgemeester van Kolfschotenfonds, Stefan Batory Foundation, Stiftung Kulturfonds Berlin and Amsterdams Fonds voor de Kunst. Writes symphonic music, choral, chamber and electronic music. As of 1991 strongly connected with the theatre, wrote music for more than 200 theatre performances in-house and outside. Creates installations and sound events, takes part in the projects on the brink of various art disciplines. Runs an original, experimental program of musical education for the deaf. 

Tord Gustavsen - a Norwegian jazz pianist. A graduate of Trondheim Conservatory of Music and Oslo University. Gustavsen has cooperated with the following musicians: Tore Brunborg, Mats Eilertsen or Anna Maria Jopek. He has been cooperating with the bass player Harald Johansen and the guitarist Jarle Vespestadem, as Tord Gustavsen Trio, since 2001. In 2008 he established Tord Gustavsen Ensemble with whom he appeared at a Vossajazz Festival in Norway with the following line-up: Tord Gustavsen (piano), Marja Mortensson (vocal), Eivind Aarset and Tore Brunborg. The pianist and composer prides himself on an impressive discography (the majority of which has been published at ECM Records). Along with his Trio, Ensemble and Quartet for the past two decades he has created the following albums: “Changing Places”, “The Ground”, “Being There”, “Restorted, Returned”, “Extended Circle”, “The Well”, “What Was Said” or “The Other Side”.

Eivind Aarset - a Norwegian novel jazz musician, an underground guitarist, drawing on electronic music. He cooperated with the following musicians in the role of session musician: Ray Charles, Dee Dee Bridgewater, Ute Lemper, Ketil Bjørnstad, Mike Mainieri, Arild Andersen, Abraham Laboriel, Dhafer Youssef, Bugge Wesseltoft or Django Bates. Closely cooperates with Nils Petter Molvaer, the trumpeter and a composer. His solo career started in cooperation with the Norwegian record company Bugge Wesseltofta Jazzland Records. The “Electronique Noir” album (Jazzland 1998) was hailed with positive reviews by the New York Times as one of the eclectic-jazz records of the post-Miles Davies era. He describes his foundations as being deeply rooted in rock music (Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Santana, Deep Purple or Black Sabbath) and jazz (Miles Davis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report or Return to Forever). The artwork of Brian Eno, Jon Hassell, Michael Brook or David Byrne had significant influence on Eivind. Moreover, the cooperation with Bugge Wesseltoftem was a significant inspiration as it comes to the way Eivind approached the guitar. However, it was cooperation on the Khmer album with Molvaer that was decisive for Aarset. 

Tore Brunborg - is one of the most critically acclaimed Norwegian jazz musicians and a composer who plays tenor saxophone. He studied at the Trondheim Folkehøgskole and at the jazz department at Trondheim Conservatory. A former member of Masqualero band (Nils Petter Molvaer, Arild Andersen, Jon Christensen), with whom he recorded four albums. He cooperated with Anders Jormin, Jon Balke, Pat Metheny, Billy Cobham. He has recorded eight original albums. 

Hubert Zemler - a drummer and composer. As a composer perfectly finds himself in various genres starting from free jazz through experimental music, world music, rock, blues to contemporary academic art. There are solo performances in his rich discography as well as bands representing various aesthetics. A great sense of touch of the instrument and the mastery of various genres are vivid in his own compositions written especially for percussion instruments, where new sounds are explored and presented from a certain perspective and separated from the time as well as encompassing rhythmic features. 

Piotr Rodowicz - a double bass player, composer, arranger and teacher. He graduated from Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw. Between the years 1981 and 1983 he studied at Jazz Mobile School in New York. A graduate of Berklee College of Music in Boston in the class of double bass. In 1983 he created In Tradition quartet along with Włodzimierz Pawlik with whom he was awarded Grand Prix at the jazz competition in Dunkirk (France) in 1984 and the first prize in the category of modern bands. During his studies in the USA he cooperated with the following artists: Bob Moses, Walter Davis, Joshua Redman, Bob Winiker Big Band and Brooklyn Symphony Orchestra. After he came back he toured with Kazimierz Jonkisz, Adam Kawończyk, Sławomir Kulpowicz, Janusz Muniak, Maciej Strzelczyk, Tomasz Szukalski. He has been running his own bands since 1995. He toured around Hungary, Germany, Czech Republic, Sweden, Russia and Kuwait. He is also, along with Henryk Majewski, a founder and a lecturer at a unique Jazz Department of the Fryderyk Chopin State Music School (2nd level) in Warsaw at Bednarska Street and a consultant and expert to the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage within the discipline of jazz teaching.

Marja Helena Fjellheim Mortensson - born in 1995, comes from southern Lapland. In her music she uses joik - a vocal technique that is of significant importance for the identity of Saami people from Scandinavia. In 2017 her debut album entitled “Aarehgïjre” (“Early spring”) was released. Jazz musicians Jakop Janssønn and Daniel Herskedal appeared on her solo album which won the 2018 Spellemann award in the category of “folk music / traditional music” and was nominated for Nordic Music Prize 2018. Along with Hilde Fjerdingøy Marja they established Moenje project that combines joik and folk music from Helgeland i Trøndelag. The band published their “Klarvær” album in 2019. Moreover in 2019 she published “Lååje - Dawn”. In 2021 she published her fourth album, “Raajroe - The Reindeer Caravan” in cooperation with Herskedal, Janssønn and Kringkastingsorkesteret. She received the Spellemannprisen 2021 award for that album in the “traditional music” category. The same year she won the Folkarm award and was selected the folk musician of the year. 

Zoriana Dybovska - actress, singer. She comes from Lviv. She is an actress of the Lesia Ukrainka Dramatic Theatre in Lviv and a lecturer at the Ivan Franko Lviv National University.  Singing accompanies her throughout her life. One of her recent creative projects is the band YAGODY, which has been travelling and giving concerts in many European countries for over 6 years and is dynamically developing. In addition to her daily singing practice, Zoryana professionally conducts sound and voice training.

Elina Toneva - ac­tress, vo­ca­list, sin­ger, per­for­mer, the­atre in­struc­tor. Born in So­fia (Bul­ga­ria). Gra­du­ated from Gra­phic De­sign Fa­cul­ty in the Aca­de­my of Fine Arts in Lodz. In­struc­tor of Sport and Re­cre­ation in Aca­de­my of Phy­si­cal Edu­ca­tion in Po­znan. In­struc­tor of sta­ge mo­ve­ment and sin­ging in Film Scho­ol in Lodz. In­struc­tor of Krav Maga - Israeli self-defence and combat system. Tra­ining expert of martial arts, combat and self-defence sys­tems. One of the fo­un­ders of “An­cient Or­che­stra” - mu­si­cal pro­ject in Cen­ter of The­atre Prac­ti­ces Gar­dzie­ni­ce. Mem­ber of CHO­REA The­atre As­so­cia­tion sin­ce 2004. One of the le­aders in CHOREA's edu­ca­tio­nal and work­shop pro­gram. Instructor of tra­di­tio­nal Bal­kan vo­cal and dan­ce tech­ni­qu­es. Experienced in le­ading fi­si­cal, vo­cal, and dan­ce work­shops for ac­tors, mu­si­cians, dan­cers and the­atre in­struc­tors all over the world. Theatre workshop leader, physical theatre training spe­cialist.

Juni Dahr - a notable Norwegian actress who has been part of the National Stage in Bergen for 12 years. A graduate of the National Academy of Performing Arts in Oslo. She played in many classical masterpieces - from Shakespeare to Ibsen and Chekhov, as well as experimental drama. Between the years 1980/81 Juni received a scholarship to Poland to study at the Jerzy Grotowski Laboratory Theatre. In 1986 she studied film and the theatre at New York University and at the Actors Studio in New York under Shelly Winters. In 1989 she received a Fullbright scholarship within the framework of “Female Legends”. She established her own Visjoner Teater to create independent theatrical and film productions. 

Tomasz Rodowicz - Ar­ti­stic Di­rec­tor of CHO­REA The­atre. An ac­tor, di­rec­tor, mu­si­cian, te­acher, edu­ca­tor, the­atre in­struc­tor, uni­ver­si­ty lec­tu­rer, ear­lier also a hi­sto­rian of phi­lo­so­phy and bee-ke­eper. Born in 1951 in War­saw. A gra­du­ate of the De­part­ment of Hi­sto­ry of Phi­lo­so­phy at the War­saw The­olo­gi­cal Aca­de­my. A co-fo­un­der of the first so­cial the­ra­py cen­tre for the young ad­dicts in Po­land. He has co­ope­ra­ted with Je­rzy Gro­tow­ski and Te­atr La­bo­ra­to­rium be­twe­en 1974-1979 on the para-the­atri­cal in­i­tia­ti­ves. The co-fo­un­der and key ac­tor of the Cen­tre for The­atre Prac­ti­ces “Gar­dzie­ni­ce”, its mem­ber and the le­ader of edu­ca­tio­nal pro­grams be­twe­en the years 1977-2003. The co-fo­un­der of CHO­REA The­atre As­so­cia­tion and its le­ader sin­ce 2004. The artistic director of Fa­bry­ka Sztu­ki in Lodz in 2007-2022. The ar­ti­stic di­rec­tor of In­ter­na­tio­nal The­atre Fe­sti­val Re­tro­per­spek­ty­wy­ and the National The­atre Fe­sti­val Per­spek­ty­wy. The lec­tu­rer at the fol­lo­wing uni­ver­si­ties: the Uni­ver­si­ty of Lodz, AST Na­tio­nal Aca­de­my of The­atre Arts in Kra­kow (By­tom branch), The Leon Schil­ler Na­tio­nal Film, Te­le­vi­sion and The­atre Scho­ol in Lodz. The le­ader of mul­ti­ple in­ter­na­tio­nal edu­ca­tio­nal, di­dac­tic, ar­ti­stic pro­jects and re­se­arch expe­di­tions for ac­tors, the­atre co­aches and cul­tu­re ani­ma­tors from aro­und the world. In­no­va­ti­ve mu­si­cal and phy­si­cal tra­ining expert and the­atre work­shop spe­cia­list. Worl­dwi­de au­tho­ri­ty in le­ading work­shops for ac­tors, dan­cers, sin­gers, mu­si­cians, the­atre in­struc­tors and cul­tu­re ani­ma­tors. Author of a handbook “Ac­tors physical tra­ining. From individual to group ac­tions”'. In 2014 he was awar­ded the Me­dal for Me­rit to Cul­tu­re - Glo­ria Ar­tis by the Mi­ni­ster of Cul­tu­re and Na­tio­nal He­ri­ta­ge. Re­ce­ived “O!2017” award in the “The­atre” ca­te­go­ry by O.pl Pol­ski Por­tal Kul­tu­ry. In 2018 he was awar­ded by the May­or of the City of Lodz in re­co­gni­tion of his ar­ti­stic achie­ve­ments, cul­tu­re pro­tec­tion and po­pu­la­ri­sa­tion. In 2019 he re­ce­ived a Zyg­munt Hüb­ner “THE­ATRE FI­GU­RE” award, es­ta­bli­shed by Fun­da­cja Te­atru My­śli Oby­wa­tel­skiej im. Zyg­mun­ta Hüb­ne­ra - this way be­co­ming part of di­stin­gu­ished lau­re­ates, i.e.: Anna Au­gu­sty­no­wicz, Jan En­glert, Je­rzy Tre­la, Piotr Cie­plak and Ja­cek Głomb.

Mar­ta Góźdź - El Bruz­da - is a philoso­pher and clo­thing de­si­gner by education. Pri­ze­win­ner of Off Fa­shion in Kiel­ce, First Award at the fe­sti­val of pro­duc­tion and co­stu­me de­si­gners Vi­zu­art 2013 in Rze­szów, ‘’Kla­sy­ka Żywa” and Ga­ze­ta Wy­bor­cza new­spa­per. She is cur­ren­tly wor­king in Poland and Germany.

LINKS

• https://actinout.pl/en/
• https://www.facebook.com/actinoutproject/
• https://dahr.no/company/
• http://www.fabrykasztuki.org/fabrykasztuki_org/en/
• https://www.chorea.com.pl/en/

Concert created and presented in terms of „ACT IN_OUT” Project, organised by Art Factory in Lodz, in cooperation with CHOREA Theatre form Lodz and Visjoner Teater from Oslo, thanks to a grant form Norway Grants and EEA (European Economic Area). Working together for a green, competitive and inclusive Europe.

Project financed by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage.

Project co-financed by the City of Łódź.