"Gramophone" with music by Evgeny Kissin. Musical-drama performance in Berlin 8 February 2026

GRAMMOPHON - MUSICAL-DRAMATIC PERFORMANCE

Prague Theater Divadlo Marianny Arzumanové

About the play

How does a person find the strength to survive the unimaginable - persecution, inhumanity and the loss of loved ones?

At the center of the play "Gramophone" is the true story of a relationship between a concentration camp inmate and her guard. A poetic fairy tale by Boris Sandler about Yiddish letters is woven into the harrowing reality of the camp.

The protagonist, separated from her child, tells him this fairy tale in her mind - she teaches him to read and write across borders, distances and horror. In her imagination, the camp loudspeaker is transformed into an old gramophone in which a family of Yiddish letters lives, and the prisoners as well as the guards appear as friendly creatures from a fairytale jungle.

Letters, words and books - symbols of Jewish destiny - become part of the stage. They embody the power of the spirit that cannot be taken away from anyone: Thinking, dreaming and loving.

The play is dedicated to the six million murdered victims of the Shoah and carries the message of humanity, inner freedom and the power of the word.

Concert afterwards

The musicians of the ensemble present Klezmer - the lively Jewish music of Eastern Europe, characterized by laughter and tears, festivity and silence. In these melodies you can hear laughter and tears, solemnity and silence - it is music that can speak without words. A moving finale that reminds us of the voice of hope even in dark times.

Ensemble:
Johana Kyselková, Petr Kolman, Ondřej Král, Štefan Radačovský,
Eliška Nezvalová, Ondřej Kohoutek, Jiří Valeš, Ivan Surnyk,
Soňa Beaumont, Tereza Slánská, Denisa Klementová, Mikuláš Smrčka

Musicians:
Evgeny Sharogradskiy (piano)
Michal Kostiuk (clarinet)
Martin Dostál (violin)

Music for the piece: Evgeny Kissin
Director: Marianna Arzumanova
Scenario: Marianna Arzumanova, Igor Šebo, Eliška Nezvalová
Libretto: Boris Sandler

Sound & light: Michal Matola, Jaroslav Tůma
Scenography: Marianna Arzumanova, Danya Baryshnikov
Costumes : Jana Chamlarová, Marianna Arzumanova
Répétiteur: Evgeny Sharogradskiy

For the first time in Berlin!