Baņuta

"Baņuta" is a production by the Berlin music theater collective Hauen und Stechen in collaboration with Latvian artists.

In this musically, visually and theatrically impressive music theater, the plot overturns: visions of death and magical signs, alienation and rejection, prohibitions, oaths, pagan love rituals and the self-determined desire for happiness determine her life in a foreign land until the end. A mythical past confronts the experiences of the wars of the 20th century in Eastern Europe, whose struggles did not end, especially for the women, even after their return from the front.

In the summer of 2020, the scenic concept was first adapted for a film that fuses opera, music theater and contemporary performativity. Now it can finally be implemented for the theater. The new production of the opera by Alfrēds Kalniņš can be seen in autumn 2022 for the first time in Germany - live at the Theater im Delphi.

Our goal is that all Latvian artists who have already been involved in the film also take part in the long-awaited music theater production "Banuta" and that we can finance the associated costs.

Our audience is a diverse mix - it comes from all age groups, sworn opera lovers are just as much there as people who have never been to the opera and get a taste for our audience-oriented performances!

Since cultural funds are scarce in Latvia, we are collecting support for the travel and accommodation costs of the Latvian choir and musicians. This is the only way we can bring all artists to Berlin!

Musical theater is always expensive because there are so many participants - but without our chamber music ensemble and without the wonderful choir, "Banuta" would only be half a story.

We buy flights from Latvia to Berlin, rent accommodation and help feed 8 Latvian artists.
We need an amount of 650 euros for each one.