Baba Yaga

Songs and Dances of Death

Baba Yaga: Songs and Dances of Death is a theatrical, interdisciplinary song recital; at once a deconstruction and an adornment of the classical concert format. In a programme for pianist, two female dancers and one female singer, it brings together music, dance, spoken word and a specially-commissioned song cycle by Elena Langer.

Devised by mezzo-soprano Rowan Hellier, and inspired by the writings of Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Baba explores the idea that there is a wildness and wisdom inherent in women, through music and integrated movement between all performers. It looks to reclaim the figure of the witch as an alternative to society’s script for ageing women, via the ambiguous Slavic-folklore figure Baba Yaga, and her related female archetype: the Death-Skeleton Woman, in Modest Mussorgsky’s Songs and Dances of Death.

Elena Langer’s new song cycle is commissioned by Oxford International Song Festival.

Baba Yaga: Songs and Dances of Death is produced in partnership with Beethovenfest Bonn and Oxford International Song Festival.