Synopsis and Team
Composer / Concept: Jacob Cooper (USA)
Stage and Music Direction / Concept: Karmina Šilec (Slovenia)
Texts: Dora Malech (USA)
Set: Dorian Šilec Petek (Slovenia)
Drawings / Video: Young Joo Lee (South-Korea, USA)
Costumes: Tina Bonča (Slovenia)
Artistic Collaborator: Sidra Bell (USA)
Light: Andrej Hajdinjak (Slovenia)
Sound: Danilo Ženko (Slovenia)
Performed by: CHOREGIE new music theatre (Slovenia)
Producer: Carmina Slovenica (SI)
Co-Producer: Maribor puppet theatre
Premiere: Mar 9, 2020 / Minoriti Church Maribor / Maribor, Slovenia
The transition from animal to meat is one that intentionally mutes the life and death of its subject. Unlike humans, these animals generally die in concealment, and the dead are not mourned. In Thrēnos, what is so often hidden behind the scenes is brought onto the stage as a performance that offers space for reckoning and reflection. Slaughterhouses are a place where man, machine and animal meet. Through this connection Threnos is questioning the contemporary social paradigm in which man, by excessive praising of his own culture, almost completely destroys nature. At first sight it might seem that the performance is concerned with the care for animals. But it is also about human beings, about us and our sense of guilt. We seek to remake a promise – but we doubt we will succeed. We realize we decided to look away from the things that burden us or which are difficult. And for that – Ashamed and ashamed for being ashamed … we close our eyes around and always –.
THRENOS (for the Throat) from Karmina Silec on Vimeo.
Jury Statement
"THRENOS (for the Throat) is an exciting piece not only because of the ritual in which it engages the audience, but also because it has a strong message. The notion of understanding nature and reflection of society through the metaphor of mourning animals, stands as an experience in which connection is assured. Also the musical composition stands out as a invocation for communities, and for beauty that is given an inspirational interspace for internal reflection by the strong formality of the staging."
(Jury of MTNow 2021)
Pictures
