Echoes of Upheaval: Music Theatre Between Berlin and the Soviet Avant-Garde
LES AUTRES and Das Blaue Heft: Music Theatre Confronts History
April 03rd, 2026
Music theatre takes center stage as a powerful medium for cultural reflection and historical dialogue in this programme, which presents two works connected by their exploration of art under pressure. By juxtaposing Berlin’s 1930s cabaret scene with the Soviet avant-garde, the evening illuminates how artists navigate political oppression, social instability, and systemic constraints. These works not only reinterpret historical moments but also underscore the enduring role of music and theatre in preserving cultural memory, giving voice to resilience, and inspiring contemporary audiences to reflect on freedom, creativity, and the human experience in challenging times.
At the centre of the evening is Alexandra Filonenko’s new work LES AUTRES, a musical theatre piece, inspired by the aesthetics of 1930s Berlin cabaret. Blending historical references with contemporary music, the composition weaves together vocal and instrumental elements with spoken and performed texts by authors including Bertolt Brecht, Heiner Müller, William Shakespeare, and Hendrik Jackson. Set against the backdrop of Berlin’s vibrant interwar music and singing culture, the work explores life in periods of crisis, drawing connections between past and present. Musicians take on theatrical roles, shaping a narrative that shifts between grotesque humour and increasing seriousness.
In contrast, Edison Denisov’s Das Blaue Heft (The Blue Notebook) presents a surrealist musical theatre cycle for soprano, narrator, and ensemble. Based on texts by Alexander Vvedensky and Daniil Charms, the work reflects on the reality of a system in which individuals are rendered powerless in the face of oppressive structures. Both writers were associated with the avant-garde group OBERIU (“Association of Real Art”), founded in 1928 and banned just a few years later. Their experiences of repression and imprisonment inform a poetic language shaped by constraint and the search for artistic freedom.
The programme brings together an ensemble of performers who move between musical and theatrical expression. Ramina Abdulla-zadè (soprano), Daniel Gloger (countertenor), and Maxim Suchanow (speaker) interpret the works, while conductor Fedor Rudin leads the ensemble. The combination of voice, text, and instrumental performance creates a layered experience that highlights the interplay between music and narrative.
By placing these two works side by side, the programme draws a line between different historical contexts while revealing shared artistic concerns. Both pieces examine how individuals navigate systems of pressure and control, and how art can respond to—and endure within—such conditions. The result is an evening of music theatre that connects Berlin’s cultural past with broader questions of artistic expression and resilience.
References:
- https://www.konzerthaus.de/en/programm/ensemble-unitedberlin/11906
- https://www.berlin.de/en/tickets/classical-music/ensemble-unitedberlin-fa4a585e-4e15-416f-aecf-6a868edd0e87/
