Memorial ceremony for Paul Celan

The legacy of the German-speaking poet and translator Paul Celan (1920−1970) is on a par with Friedrich Hölderlin, Rainer Maria Rilke, and Georg Trakl in terms of philosophical depth and has had a huge impact on world art. While his poems and essays may have been studied up and down, set up to volumes of music, and analysed in philosophical treatises, interest in Celan and his post-war experience of the language, body, cultural, and memory boundaries remains as strong as ever. In 2020, on the 100th anniversary of the author’s birth, contemporary composers from various countries once again turned to his work. Their «conversation with the poet» culminated in the programme «Ceremony in Memory of Paul Celan».

The programme includes works by Nevsky, Retinsky, Currentzis, Mustukis, Rannev, Tartanis and Filanovsky.

Paul Celan

In Ägypten (In Egypt)
Translated into Russian by Olga Sedakova
Narrator: Varvara Pavlova

Vladimir Rannev

Wirk nicht voraus
Dmitry Kosov (baritone)
Nikolai Mazhara (piano)

Andreas Moustoukis

Gegenlicht (Backlight)
Alfiya Khamidullina (soprano)
Sergei Eletsky (bass clarinet)

Paul Celan

«… rauscht der Brunnen» (»… plashes the fountain»)
Translated into Russian by Olga Sedakova
Narrator: Alla Kazakova

Alexey Retinsky

Mandorla (The Almond)
Yulia Saifulmulyukova (soprano)
Nikolai Mazhara (piano)

Paul Celan

Assisi
Translated into Russian by Olga Sedakova
Narrators: Varvara Pavlova, Alla Kazakova, Olga Balandina

Sergej Newski

Tarussa
Andrey Nemzer (countertenor)
Nikolai Mazhara (piano)

Paul Celan

Todesfuge (Deathfugue)
Narrator: Paul Celan (recording)
Vangelino Currentzis
Bretonischer Strand (Breton Beach)
Viktor Shapovalov (bass)
Riad Mammadov (piano)
Ekaterina Dondukova (assistant piano)
Sergey Chirkov (accordion)
Andrey Volosovsky, Alexey Amosov (percussion)

Paul Celan

Die hellen Steine (The Bright Stones)
Translated into Russian by Olga Sedakova
Narrator: Olga Balandina

Teodor Currentzis

Blume (Flower)
Irina Bagina (soprano)
Nadezhda Boiko (soprano)
Marina Inovlotskaya (mezzo-soprano)
Elena Podkasik (soprano)
Anastasia Fomichenko (soprano)
Anastasia Shumanova (mezzo-soprano)
Vladislav Pesin (violin)
Miriam Prandi (cello)
Nikolai Mazhara (piano)
Alexandra Deshina (assistant piano)

Paul Celan

Es war Erde in ihnen (There was earth inside them)
Translated into Russian by Olga Sedakova
Narrator: Alla Kazakova

Boris Filanovsky

Psalm
Andrey Nemzer (countertenor)
Nikolai Mazhara (piano)

Paul Celan

Ich kann dich noch sehen (I can still see you)
Translated into Russian by Olga Sedakova
Narrator: Olga Balandina

Ektoras Tartanis

Song to verses by Paul Celan from the cycle Fadensonnen
Yulia Saifulmulyukova (soprano)
Nikolai Mazhara (piano)

Paul Celan

Der Regen füllt’ den Krug (Rain fills the mug)
Translated into Russian by Viacheslav Kupriyanov
Narrator: Varvara Pavlova

Teodor Currentzis

So Schlafe (So sleep)
Solo: Eleni-Lydia Stamellou (soprano)
Echo: Ekaterina Dondukova (soprano), Yulia Saifulmulyukova (soprano), Elene Gvritishvili (soprano)
Percussion: Andrey Volosovsky, Alexey Amosov
Piano: Nikolai Mazhara
Assistant piano: Alexandra Deshina
musicAeterna Choir

Place of event: Shpagin Plant / Litera A