On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the death of the great German-Jewish poet Mascha Kaléko, Etta Scollo and Eva Mattes, together with the Etta Scollo Trio, are dedicating themselves to an extraordinary stage project that intertwines music, poetry, and memory. Under the title "Nirgendland", an evening emerges that brings the subtle melancholy, humor, and linguistic precision of Kaléko to resonate anew.
Mascha Kaléko (1907–1975) was regarded as the voice of an entire generation. In the Berlin coffeehouses of the 1930s, she became suddenly famous with her "Lyrical Stenogram Notebook" – her poems reflect the urban experience, both sharp and tender at the same time. After fleeing the National Socialists, she lived in exile in New York and later in Jerusalem. Her texts speak of uprootedness, belonging, and the search for home – themes that seem more relevant today than ever. "Wherever I travel, I go to Nirgendland," it says in one of her poems – a line that gives the evening its title.
The Italian-German musician Etta Scollo, known for her poetic compositions bridging chanson, world music, and classical, meets Kaléko's lyrics with sensitive musicality. Together with her trio – Susanne Paul (cello) and Tara Bouman (clarinet) – she creates a dense, emotional sound space in which word and music intertwine. Scollo, a multiple award winner (e.g., Ruth World Music Prize, Order of Merit of Italy 2024), knows how to transform literary texts into music without losing their independence.
Eva Mattes, one of the most prominent actresses in the German-speaking world, lends depth, warmth, and irony to Kaléko's poems with her distinctive voice. For decades, she has shaped theater and film with impressive intensity and sensitivity, whether on stage, in award-winning film roles, or as a long-standing crime scene investigator. Her presence and sensitivity to nuances add a special emotional tension to the evening and make Kaléko's words immediately tangible.
Thus, a compelling, multifaceted evening about language, memory, and identity emerges – poetic, political, and touching.
An evening about the power of art that transcends boundaries and places humanity at its center.
Doors open: 7 PM
Hallo, ich bin Maya.
