OEDIPUS – AKHENATEN
Akhenaten, Nefertiti and their three daughters (ca. 1350 BC)
Neues Museeum, Berlin
Pharao Akhenaten is the historical source of King Oedipus – their stories are told in poetry, music and dance together with THE SUN RA ARKESTRA under the direction of MARSHALL ALLEN.
Both pieces will be performed in German. The text in Italian, English and German can be downloaded >>here >>.
OEDIPUS
Wednesday 20 June – Piazza Cumün – 21:00 dress rehearsal
Friday 22 June – Piazza Cumün – 22:00 world premiere
AKHENATEN
Thursday 21 June – Piazza Cumün – 21:00 dress rehearsal
Saturday 23 June – Piazza Cumün – 22:00 world premiere
| Oedipus / Laius / Jokasta | JAKOB RENGER |
| Akhenaten / Tiye / Nefertiti | INA MARIA JAICH |
| direction | VERONIKA NOWAG-JONES |
| costumes | ISA MEHNERT |
| projection imagery | GÖTZ ROGGE |
| double spiral, text, concept | KA |
The music theatre OEDIPUS – AKHENATEN is based on the writings of the Russian doctor, psychoanalyst, philosopher, archaeologist and astronomer Dr. Immanuel Velikovsky.
King Oedipus tells the story of a violent father meeting his own death in a way that he had envisaged for his son. His paranoia is induced by the words of the Oracle but soon becomes reality, with his son as his angel of death. The long-awaited symbiotic mother-son relationship now turns real.
Pharaoh Akhenaten is inspired by the idea of a unique god of love and light: Aten. The Pharaoh is the son of Aten who is represented by the solar disk and understood as a principle of life. He abandons all forms of violence: no war, no death penalty, no sacrifice of animals or humans. He reigns side by side with his mother, Pharaoh Tiye, and his wise and beautiful wife, Pharaoh Nefertiti.
In both pieces the Choir plays the role of the commentator, interpreting the events musically. The Choir will be formed by The Sun Ra Arkestra under the direction of Marshall Allen. The orchestra comprises about 25 musicians and dancers – a jazz big band with strings, harp and kora. Marshall Allan will compose the title song for the pieces. The spoken parts are accompanied by music of few instruments, thus contributing to the wholeness of the plays.
Both plays take place inside of a double spiral mirror labyrinth. Long strips of reflecting foil form the double spiral that reflects the movement of the dramaturgy: from outside to inside and back outside again. The many reflections create a confusing and disorienting environment, a virtual world. The figure in the mirror is projection, fiction and reality, timeless and present.
Both pieces will be performed in German. The text in Italian, English and German can be downloaded >>here >>.
read more: EN DE IT
