Keep on reading the festival's foreword by artistic director Nadja Kayali

IN-BETWEEN WORLDS

In-between worlds, those are spaces within us that we usually just pass through and rarely inhabit. In-between worlds are as imaginary as they are real; they give us the opportunity to leave the familiar and experience something new. It requires courage to engage with the unknown, and that is exactly what I would like to invite you to do! What awaits you in the approximately 20 events is indeed colourful and diverse – no two concerts are alike, and all are in-house productions exclusively for this year’s festival edition. Each evening and each morning (because there are matinees and really early morning concerts, too) brings a premiere, which links a basic musical idea with the ideal artists to realise it. I had the pleasure to already enjoy the company of the wonderful people whose works combine music, poetry, dance, and drama during the months of preparation, and it is all the more wonderful to be able to share this feeling with you soon. Quite frankly, I can’t wait to finally see our meticulously planned ideas become reality!

Imago Dei kicks off with the programmatic concert evening Imago Deae with about 50 female musicians from a range of very different musical worlds, who unite choir/vocals, folk music, and jazz into a vibrant sphere of togetherness. Women’s artistic energy and creativity play an important role for me and are granted generous space in many projects. Another guiding principle behind my ideas was the special setting of the Klangraum Krems Minoritenkirche: as a departure point for a new composition, but also as a theatrical place to be traversed, as in Scriabin’s Mystery with piano, dance, and puppetry.

Another project, a matter of the heart and actually a “festival within the festival”, is dedicated to the Polish composer Simon Laks. In addition to the Austrian premiere of his three string quartets, his moving text about Mélodies d'Auschwitz (Music in Auschwitz) will be performed, as well as a literary premiere by Doron Rabinovici. Literature and music also merge in sounds from Syria and words from four Syrian poets living in Austria. As an Austrian with Syrian roots, I am very happy about these strong signals of Syrian-Austrian music and poetry.

With Tamara Friebel and Wolfgang Suppan, I was able to commission two “festival composers” this year, not least due to the generous support of private sponsors and the newly founded “Association of Friends of the Imago Dei Festival”. Of course, I would be delighted to win you as a friend as well!

In this spirit, I wish you and all of us an exciting festival!

Sincerely

Nadja Kayali

(c) Trifoliata Walter Skokanitsch