SONNTAG, 5. Juni 2005, 23:05. - 23:45, Ö1

KUNSTRADIO - RADIOKUNST





Dora - Woman of the Ruins

von Zahra Mani und Mia Zabelka

PLAY

http://stream.mur.at:8000/kunstradio/mp3/2004B/05_06_05.mp3

[ Deutsche Version ]

"Dora_Woman of the Ruins" is an acoustic collage dealing with the so-called "Trümmerfrauen" (a German expression used to describe the women who cleared away the rubble and played an important role for the reconstruction work after World War II) and a reference to their incredible efforts to re-build the ruins and their will to survive.

Besides bombed cities, especially the founder members of the Second Republic - political architects, and all men - are established in the public and collective memory; however, it was women who made the foundation of the proclaimed "new Austria". In a way, one can regard these "Trümmerfrauen" as pioneers of feminism.

In 1945, at the end of the war, Dora, one of the "Trümmerfrauen" had just turned 16. During the war, her father was a resistance activist, and her brother was member of the so-called "suicide squad". Only 13 years old, Dora was sent to various labour camps in Leipzig and Berlin.

The protagonist of this radio piece is a relative of the musician Mia Zabelka and, in a very intimate interview, tells about her life and experiences in the post war era. This narrative is the basis for the radio piece and is embedded within diverse sonic materials. Zabelka's e-violin once creates a subtle dialogue, then makes harsh contrasts; Zahra Mani's complex acoustic landscape creates a lyrical, but radical environment.

Furthermore the "voices" of the "Frauen Schrei- und Klagechors Osterwitz" (Women Scream and Lament Choir Osterwitz), an ensemble put together by Zabelka and Mani especially for this project, appear repeatedly within the piece - like a red thread. Amongst others, they newly interpret songs by Zara Leander.

The composers don't intend to merely illustrate the events of the post war era in sounds and tones, resp. to make a kind of "acoustic film"; rather, by means of sounds, they want to make audible what isn't uttered between the lines of Dora's story - what Roland Barthes would call the "voice's body".

Together with the Belgrade based radio editor and artist Arsenjie Jovanovic, Zahra Mani and Mia Zabelka have also created the sound and light installation "Women of the Ruins" which is closely related to the radio piece.
It will be presented on June 3rd and 4th from 7 to 10 p.m. at the construction site Kandlgasse 30 in Vienna within the range of the Bezirksfestwochen Neubau which are dedicated to the motto "Gegendenken" (counter thinking) this year.

The radio piece "Dora_Woman of the Ruins" was produced in Dolby Surround 5.1.

    Related Links:
  • 18. 09. 2005: Schutt Parade by Arsenije Jovanovic

[TOP]


PROGRAM
CALENDAR