Amadou & Mariam

Description

When you cannot see, your other senses are heightened – above all your sense of hearing. The innovative programming concept of the Elbphilharmonie Konzerte has given audiences the opportunity to experience this for themselves on a number of occasions, but »Eclipse« promises to be a one-of-a-kind performance: the word concert barely begins to describe what the evening has in store, and not just because it takes place in complete darkness. »Eclipse« is also an audio drama and a personal journey – a unique acoustic experience. Performing on stage are Amadou & Mariam, a blind couple from Mali who lost their sight in childhood as a result of illness. They met at the Institute for the Young Blind in the capital city, Bamako, where they both performed in the school ensemble – Amadou as a guitarist and Mariam as a singer. They married in 1980, began performing as a duo and had already gained superstar status in West Africa by the time Stevie Wonder discovered them in the mid-1980s. This paved the way for their European breakthrough: Amadou & Mariam have since performed with world music star Manu Chao and Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, and have also been support acts for Blur, Coldplay and U2 on their international tours. They recorded the official anthem (»Celebrate The Day«) for the 2006 FIFA World Cup with Herbert Grönemeyer, and four years later they also performed at the opening ceremony of the World Cup in South Africa. Their joyful music combines traditional Mali sounds with rock guitars, pop beats, Arab flutes, brass and occasionally Indian percussion. But this evening has even more to offer: in »Eclipse«, Amadou & Mariam have merged music, narration and sensory stimulation into an impressive overall experience. Performed in total darkness, and combining everyday sounds and nature sounds from their native West Africa, listeners are transported to a different continent and another realm of experience. Similar to the concert performance »Dialog im Dunkeln«, the evening vividly conveys how the blind musicians forged their own creative and personal path.