Rusalkihome Once upon a time, four mermaids – who were really singers and actresses – came together to sing about passion, loss, love, yearning, death and the grandeur of nature. First, they swam to Russia, to unlock the musical treasures there. But after a time they were overcome by a great longing to see and hear more of the world. Their travels brought them to North Africa, Kenya, Nepal and back to Europe. Wherever they went, the wind whispered songs into their delicate ears. And even now, where the waters run and a song is sung you can hear them … singing the land ___________________________________________________________ introduction Vocal quartet Rusalki sings traditional songs from Africa, Asia and Europe. Tatiana Kouzovkina's original arrangements give the songs a new lease of life and an unexpected sparkle. The group sings in more than twenty languages about themes such as love, death, desire and the grandeur of nature. Most of the plural harmonies are sung without accompaniment, some with guitar. The quartet - in sumptuous costumes - adds a touch of theatre to its performance to enhance the music and bridge any possible language gap. Rusalki is linked to Musicians without Borders, a world-wide organisation that uses music as a means of reconciliation, creating connections across ethnic and religious lines (www.musicianswithoutborders.nl). ___________________________________________________________ history After their discovery in 1996, Rusalki has been invited to perform at countless major events, such as the Peter the Great Happening in Moscow, Sail 2000 Amsterdam, the International Slavyanski Bazar Festival in Kiev and recently to celebrate the 300th anniversary of St Petersburg. The group released its first CD 'Rusalki' in 1997 and its second album ‘Singing the Land’ in 2003. In the Netherlands, Rusalki has performed at many festivals (a/o Oerol, Mundial, Full Colour) and in numerous theatres, concert-halls, churches, castles and museums. Radio and television performances include Dutch Radio 4 and 5, VARA's 'Spijkers' and Ukrainian National Television. ___________________________________________________________ performance A Rusalki performance can be anything from one or more short sets to a full concert of 1.5 hours. We offer two different programmes: - Russian (songs from various Russian-speaking regions) - International (songs from Europe, Asia and Africa) We love to perform in churches and castles, museums and galleries, theatres and concert-halls, festivals and special events, conferences and conventions. concert list For our updated concert list, please check the concerts page! ___________________________________________________________ reviews " … Rusalki from Amsterdam made an unforgettable impression with its contemporary interpretation of old folk music from different countries … one of the most remarkable performances of the [Ostrovski] festival …" CULTURE (no 23), St Petersburg (June 2004) " … I never thought such a simple concert would make such an impression on me … Rusalki's secret lies, I suppose, in the fact that the performers are also actresses… They are magnificent actresses, beautiful women and impressive singers …" THEATRE MAGAZINE, St Petersburg (July 2004) " …Rusalki's outstanding performance inspired the audience to a standing ovation… the voices sometimes sounded like musical instruments … every song was turned into a mini-performance, entertaining and moving … four very strong personalities …. BRABANTS DAGBLAD (January 2002) "… brilliant artistic ensemble-work … the four voices harmonized magnificently, the singing was very pure … not only did the ladies sing beautifully, they also splendidly managed to bring different subjects and situations to life by acting out little scenes with the use of minimal props…" NOORD HOLLANDS DAGBLAD (March 2001) "…the artistic presentation deserves the highest praise… the meticulous pronunciation of the different languages gives a real sense of authenticity …" DAGBLAD VAN HET NOORDEN (February 2000) ___________________________________________________________ music We learned most of our songs when travelling or touring. Men and women from different countries and cultures were willing to share their songs with us, confirming once again that music is one of the greatest forms of communication and knows no barriers. To hear a sample of our songs, click on one of the links below. ___________________________________________________________ rusalki Having acted and sung together in several productions of the Amsterdam Chamber Theatre, four actresses decided to set up a singing group. Two Pisceans and two Aquarians, they chose to call themselves Mermaids, Sirens of the Sea - in Russian: "Rusalki". ___________________________________________________________ contact For information and bookings contact info@rusalkiquartet.nl |