Mutilated penis: The Classics Festival opens its doors to desire
There will be around twenty proposals inspired by the works of Pasolini, Woolf, Dickinson and Euripides, among others.
BarcelonaThe 7th edition of the Clàssics Festival will focus on desire. It does so with an image of genitals from classical statues created by artist Toni Amengual. "They are mutilated penises because it's a critique of phallocentric culture and the focus on a single part of the body. At the same time, it's a way of bringing desire into our day, because lately there are men who express that their desire is constantly being questioned. Is it right that we always allow desire?" reflects Sira. "We've wanted to address desire for a long time, because it's what moves us every morning, and the energy that allows us to create. If a person is devoid of desire, they probably have depression. Lately, many questions have arisen, and that invites us to return to our roots," says Abenoza.
From October 15th to December 19th, the festival, which is a project of La Casa de los Clásicos and Abacus, will organize around twenty concerts, dialogues, theater, dramatized readings and conferences around all kinds of desires: sexual, mystical, creative, carnal... Verdaguer, Carlota Gurt, David Carabén, Tarta Relena, Íngrid Guardiola, Perejaume, Isabel Casanovas, Xavier Albertí, Blanca Llum Vidal and Mireia Calafell.
One of the highlights, according to Abenoza, will be a brand-new concert with the duo Tarta Relena and the Greek musician Giorgios Manolakis, the result of a residency in Empúries. It will not be the only premiere. David Carabén, the leader of the group Mishima, will present The invention of love in the courtyard of the Library of Catalonia. "David Carabén has wanted to do something with the troubadours' lyrics for years. This is the beginning of a project that will become an album," highlights Raül Garrigasait, president of La Casa dels Clàssics.
Inspired by one of Plato's most popular dialogues, The banquet, there will be gatherings over a glass of wine to reflect on desire. In the Sala Beckett, the works of Pasolini, Virginia Woolf, Junichiro Tanizaki, and Marguerite Duras will be explored in depth. And CaixaForum will host four shows dedicated to Madame Bovary by Flaubert, Elective affinities by Goethe, Poems by Emily Dickinson and The sonnets Shakespeare's. "With an expert, an actor, and a musician, we want to create a symphony of information that explains desire in the work of all these authors without any academic intent," says Clara Manyós, who will direct the shows.
Whores or Saints?
The Pedralbes Monastery, which for years has revived the history of women who left their mark through various exhibitions, will host a recital with Nora Navas and The Rest Project, featuring texts on mystical desire by Simone Weil, Eulalia de Anzizu, and Saint Teresa of Ávila. The other religious site participating in the festival will be Sant Felip Neri, which will feature poetry by Ausiàs March, music by Sandra Monfort, and the voice of Lluís Homar.
"I will talk exclusively about sexual desire, it interests me a lot because there is a huge inconsistency between what they say about sexual desire and what happens in my life. In addition, there are two stories about sexual libido: either there are insatiable women or women without any sexual desire. Why do we have to be whores or saints? perspectives on sex: religious, philosophical, literary, poetic, anatomical... The other performative conference will be given by Íngrid Guardiola and Núria Gómez Gabriel. There will be more theatrical premieres: Penthesilea by Heinrich von Kleist, directed by Roger Vila, and Medea, adapted by Garrigasait, directed by Josep Maria Mestres and starring Sílvia Bel. Finally, the Palau de la Música will be the stage for Newspapers by Anaïs Nin and the Model will be hosted by David Verdaguer putting himself in the shoes of Oscar Wilde writing De profundis.
