2023 Eleusis European Capital of Culture presents, at the Archaeological Site οf Elefsina, the director Jochen Sandig with the play "Human Requiem in Eleusis" from 22 September to 1 October 2023.
Human Requiem in Eleusis is a flagship 2023 Eleusis event to be presented at the archaeological site of the city’s ancient sanctuary. The ancient Eleusinian Mysteries constitute the starting point of this site-specific re-creation of Human Requiem, a work based on Johannes Brahms’ Ein Deutsches Requiem (A German Requiem). This transcendental musical work reflects upon the same existential questions as did the legendary Eleusinian Mysteries, practised for almost two millennia during antiquity. It is not a Mass for the dead but rather a rite celebrating life: a memento mori made into a carpe diem. The production seeks to induce an experience of collective catharsis rooted in the recognition that mortality unites all humans within a singular fate. German director Jochen Sandig has - together with choreographer Sasha Waltz, visual artist Brad Hwang, and other artistic associates - developed the concept of a ritualistic performance and immersive experience of Brahms’ Requiem for the Rundfunkchor Berlin (Berlin Radio Choir).
