For Maria - middle of the night

How can people preserve their humanity in the darkest days? This question is the starting point for a choreographic exploration, dedicated to all those who opposed fascism. The dedicated Sorbian teacher, journalist and philosopher Dr. Maria Grollmuß refused – together with her fellow prisoners – to be a victim in a concentration camp.

In order not to allow herself to be spiritually destroyed, they mobilised all forms of intellectual and cultural powers of resistance: memories, dances, music, fairy tales and old beliefs which took on an entirely new meaning in the catastrophe.
The evening will take up this theme and accomplishes this with two compositions by Bohuslav Martinů: for one thing with music for the ballet “Špalíček”, the insolent fairy tale of the cobbler who manages to befool the powers of destruction, death and the devil. For another thing, the “Field Mass” from 1939 by Martinů gives poignant expression to the call from great abandonment in a hopefully not empty heaven.

To this end, the letters which Maria Grollmuß wrote to her sister from imprisonment will be quoted. The choreography by Mia Facchinelli tells of reflectiveness and the high spirits of life which is repeatedly expressed, as well as defiant self-assertion and self-assurance in the midst of the greatest hardship.

Premiere: 21st of September 2019

• Pressebericht Augsburger Allgemeine 02.11.2021"Ausdrucksstarke Szenen (...) Lang anhaltender Beifall für einen außergewöhnlichen Abend, um damit einen Menschen zu ehren, der auch in Zeiten größter Bedrängnis seine Willenskraft nicht verlor."
• Pressebericht Serbske Nowiny 25.09.2019"Überzeugende Ensembleleistung (...) mit lang anhaltendem Applaus dankten die Zuschauer im ausverkauften Saal" | (monatl. Ausgabe in deutscher Sprache, S. 4)

CAST Ballet, orchestra, choir and soloists of the Sorbian National Ensemble

VOICE Gabriela Maria Schmeide (speaker – recording in different languages possible)

CONDUCTOR Tvrtko Karlović

MUSIC Bohuslav Martinů

CHOREOGRAPHY Mia Facchinelli

LIBRETTO, SETS/COSTUMES, DRAMATURGY Wilfried Buchholz

PROGRAMME DURATION: ca 80 min., plus break and introd. of play