DISSIDENTEN, GORDON SHERWOOD, THE DANUBIAN ORCHESTRA & CHOIR

presented 15.July 2000

“THE MEMORY OF THE WATERS” LIVE AT THE INTERNATIONAL DANUBE FESTIVAL ULM

“The World” was Dissidenten’s main musical subject long before such ideas floated into fashion. Over a twenty-year span Dissidenten’s projects have ranked not only among the most innovative German multicultural collaborations but they also figured among the most telling international contributions to the development and broadening of popular music. Dissidenten are now poised to to deliver their most ambitious project to date. During their 20-year-journey the group has collaborated with musicians from many continents. This latest and most advanced of projects is the “documentary” opera THE MEMORY OF THE WATERS for a 56-piece orchestra, choir of 28 singers, band and computer together with the 71-year old American composer Gordon Sherwood (New York Symphonic Orchestra, Beggar’s Opera). The audio-visual “Memory of the Waters” immerses the audience in the history and tales of the Danubian basin. Deep in the confluence of music and myth, the river’s whispers and cries, the languages and legends encountered along its course, the listener embarks on a yourney deep into the memory of this most important of European Rivers. Every river is, metaphorical speaking, a primeval precourser of the Internet: Europe’s past, present and future are reflected in the Danube’s waters.The “Memory of the Waters” received it’s premiere on 15th July 2000 as the final and highlight of the International Danube Festival Ulm- right on the banks of the Danube. The event was braodcasted live by TV and Radio

Anläßlich des zwanzigjährigen Bestehens der Dissidenten entwickelte die Gruppe in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Komponisten Gordon Sherwood (New York Symphonics, Beggars Opera), sowie den Dirigenten Bernd Ruf (European Art Orchestra, Peter Feranec (Bolschoi-Orchester, Oper Oslo) und dem Danubian Orchestra & Choir ihr bislang ambitioniertestes künstlerisches Projekt : Die dokumentarische Oper “Das Gedächtnis des Wassers!” für Orchester, Chor, Band und Computer.

Hauptprotagonistin dieser Arbeit war die Donau. Auf ihrem 2888 Kilometer langen Lauf vom Schwarzwald bis zum Schwarzen Meer trennt und verbindet  “Die Hauptstraße Europas” (György Konrad) Menschen und Kulturen, ist Grenze und Brücke zwischen Sprachen, Völkern und Nationen, Ländern und Landschaften. Die Uraufuehrung fand statt an den Ufern der Donau am 15.Juli 2000 auf den internationalen Donau Festtagen in Ulm.