Rwandan Records – Humboldt Forum
October, 2021Live concert, audio drama and installation: immerse yourself in shared stories between Rwanda and Germany in this walk-in musical theatre piece by Jens Dietrich and Milena Kipfmüller. Rwandan hip-hop artist Eric 1key and Berlin composer Klaus Janek create a soundspace of language, traditional sounds, electronic music, beats and field recordings.
Mention Rwanda, and most people think of the genocide that began in April 1994. But since then, the country has undergone substantial economic development, and has now emerged as an African tiger economy – with a German colonial past. For the younger generation, this raises the question of how to deal with the past.
In this Rwandan-German joint production, Rwandan hip-hop artist Eric 1key and Berlin musician Klaus Janek compose an interactive soundspace of language, traditional sounds, electronic music, beats and field recordings.
Hamburg director and dramaturge Jens Dietrich and Berlin sound artist Milena Kipfmüller have recorded conversations with numerous people in Rwanda and put together a heterogeneous ensemble of voices. Between grandiose visions of the future, and yearnings for disappearing traditions, the immersive musical performance of Rwandan Records blends pre-colonial stories with present-day tales between Rwanda and Germany, presenting a new and unconventional perspective on a globalised self-image. Each evening a new, emotive symphony will be created; visitors can request each individual version as a download link to listen to again after the event.