Gertrude Stein in her book Wars I Have Seen said, “It is strange the world today is not adult it has the mental development of a seven-year-old boy just about that. Dear me.”
As we make our final rehearsals in preparation for one of the most ambitious productions Turning Point Ensemble has ever done, Gertrude Stein’s observations of the Second World War from her vantage point in France are fascinating, and relevant. Heiner Goebbels’ hour-long piece is a collections of songs based on a choice of texts from Stein’s book. The “songs” in the title does not mean sung, but instead the texts are spoken in a “light, relaxed, repetitive and song-like form of 26 movements.”
The piece Heiner Goebbels has composed is special in many ways. Firstly it is a staged concert that is a new and very personal way to experience music. It is as if you are in a large ‘imaginary’ living room with carpets on the floor, vintage tables and lamps. You hear the highly idiosyncratic war-time stories of Stein spoken by the musicians themselves, and this adds a poignant and personal resonance to each performance. The voices and all instruments are individually amplified and the result is a very comfortable mix, where you hear personal reminiscences over a glass of wine.
Many of our ensemble musicians have commented that this program, which also includes Peter Hatch’s Reflections on the Atomic Bomb, is one of the most unique and captivating productions of all the major interdisciplinary shows that we have undertaken.
As it comes together with new production elements added every day, all of us on the inside are more and more convinced that you should not miss it! Performances are this weekend – Saturday, Nov. 30th 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 1st 2:30 p.m. – at SFU Woodward’s Wong Theatre.
Owen Underhill, Artistic Director/Conductor
Turning Point Ensemble
