20.02.2023

Concept, dramaturgy, and set design curated by Nur Koç.

© Peter Adamik

In the wake of the 2023 earthquake in Turkey and Syria, the Barenboim-Said Academy Berlin, together with its students, gathered in the Pierre Boulez Saal for a benefit concert. A circle of voices from different nations, united in a single, shared language: the language of mourning.

Fazıl Say’s İnsan İnsan, inspired by the poem of Muhyiddin Abdal, explores the essence of humanity: faith, sorrow, and the depth of the human soul. For this performance, the composition was gently reshaped in response to the tragedy, with guidance from composition students Parham Behzad and Francisco Pais.

The piece opens with strings unfolding long, resonant chords. A voice - that of student Begüm Aslan - enters, fragile yet steadfast, articulating the first lines of the composition, while electronics weave a shadowed texture, amplifying the darkness. Timpani echo, calling the choir forward: “They say soul, soul / Now I understand what is the soul.” The words dissolve into humming, merging with the tremolo of strings and timpani, creating a soundscape of collective grief.

Suddenly, banners rise, inscribed with “Can anyone hear our voice?” in four different languages — a haunting echo of rescuers’ cries amidst the ruins. Lights dim to black, leaving only the lingering resonance of sorrow and the quiet strength of shared solidarity.