No one can outrun the past.

Take a pinch of a romantic song cycle, stir in some studio theatre and a touch of jazz, then filter the whole thing through a hessian sack of deep, dark Central European folklore… and you might be somewhere in the region of ‘Bag of Bones’, Alice Zawadzki’s bewitching new project for Manchester Collective.

Leading a cross-breed ensemble comprising keys, accordion and strings, Zawadzki has created a deeply personal piece of music theatre that grapples with the cultural history and inherited stories that run back through her life to her Polish roots. 

There are no sweet jazz songs in this landscape, but somehow, lightness always finds a way through the dark. Brand new music sits alongside a set curated by Alice and the Collective – a set that will transport listeners to strange new lands.

The ink is not yet dry on this one. This is new music at its most thrilling, dangerous and cathartic.

Alice Zawadzki’s new work is supported by PRS Foundation’s The Open Fund for Organisations

Dates

2 Feb – Bristol – Strange Brew
3 Feb – Cardiff – Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama
4 Feb – London – Southbank Centre
9 Feb – Birkenhead – Future Yard
10 Feb – Manchester – Royal Northern College of Music
11 Feb – Leeds – The Warehouse in Holbeck

Recommended age: 12+

Setlist

Alice Zawadzki Bag of Bones – World Premiere

Featuring musical interludes by

David Lang Mystery Sonata No. 1, Joy
Henryk Górecki String Quartet No. 2, IV.
Simón Díaz Tonada de luna llena (arr. Misha Mullov-Abbado)
Trad. Que Florezca La Luz (South America, arr. Misha Mullov-Abbado)
Andrea Tarrodi Miroirs

Approximate run time: 90 minutes (including artist Q&A)

Line-up

Alice Zawadzki Creative Director, voice  
Rakhi Singh Music Director, violin
Charles Kieny Accordion, synthesiser
Bruno Heinen Keyboard
Simmy Singh Violin
Carol Ella Viola
Nick Trygstad Cello