Kolpakov Lab

Kolpakov Lab

  The tradition of Russian Rroma music has always been based on Rroma choirs. They had their heyday – often with more than twenty vocalists and supported by guitarists and dancers – in 19th century Russia, when they were funded by the aristocracy and celebrated by artists such as Pushkin. During the Russian Revolution, many Rroma fled to western Europe or farther away, and in communist times, despite some efforts to maintain it, the tradition slowly dissipated. Today, most of the young Rroma musicians do not know what these choirs sounded like or how they worked. In this lab project for conservation of a world heritage, initiated by Stéphane Laederich and Etienne Abelin, the forgotten and almost lost tradition of Russian Rroma choirs will be revived in concerts and recordings under the direction of the legendary singer and guitarist Sascha Kolpakov and his nephew Vadim Kolpakov. The first part of the project will take place at the season’s opening of the Festspielhaus St Pölten in form of a lab, with a final presentation on 26 September 2009. The second part – comprising concerts and records – is planned for November 2010 during the choir festival at the Festspielhaus St Pölten. Lab presentation on the occasion of the opening Box Sat. 26 September, from 16.00. Admission free.