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Desdemona

Toni Morrison, Rokia Traoré, Peter Sellars

Nobel prize laureate Toni Morrison wrote Desdemona after a discussion about Othello with the director Peter Sellars. In her text, Morrison gives a voice to Desdemona, who has a modest part in Shakespeare's play. From the grave, the Shakespearean heroine fills in the gaps in her history through an intimate dialogue with Barbary, the African nanny who raised her. With her mesmerising voice, awardwinning Malian singer-songwriter Rokia Traoré gives a virtuoso performance as Barbary. Traoré also wrote the music, which is performed by two musicians and two singers from Mali. As the play develops, we discover a different Desdemona, a woman of flesh and blood who speaks out about racism, war and oppression – and the transformative power of love.

dates

Tue June 11 2013 10:30 PM

Wed June 12 2013 10:30 PM

Thu June 13 2013 10:30 PM

information

  • English

  • Duration of performance unknown (zonder pauze)

  • © Mark Allan-Barbican

  • © Mark Allan-Barbican

  • © Mark Allan-Barbican

credits

text Toni Morrison music Rokia Traoré direction Peter Sellars lighting design James F. Ingalls sound Alexis Giraud cast Tina Benko, Rokia Traoré ngoni Mamah Diabate vocals Fatim Kouyate, Bintou Soumbounou kora Mamadyba Camara stage manager Anne Dechene assistant stage manager Janet Y. Takami production Diane J. Malecki commissioned by Wiener Festwochen, Theatre Nanterre-Amandiers, Cal Performances, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, Spielzeiteuropa, Berliner Festspiele, Barbican, Arts Council London, London 2012 Festival, Berkeley

This performance is made possible by