The Banquet

An extraordinary intercontinental collaboration results in a unique combination of traditional Ghanaian culture and the European Baroque. As the banquet ends and guests doze at the table and under it, love awakens...

African intuition meets European rationalism and awakens our cultural roots, while the European Baroque comes alive in African rhythms. Czech, Ghanaian, French - all are intoxicated with the enchanting melodies of baroque opera. The excellent construction of African rhythms only emphasises the unlikely union of these two magnificent traditions as we indulge unreservedly in the joy of living through music song and dance. Visit The Banquet, the culmination of a two-year collaboration between artists from the Czech Republic, France and Ghana in the project Genius Rises. 

World premiere!

This performance was created with support from the Czech Ministry of Culture; the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Accra; The University of Ghana; Institute od African Studies in Ghana; the French Institute in Prague; Sprezzatura Ensemble; the Faculty of Music - JAMU; the Royal Conservatoire The Hague, ZUŠ Náměšť nad Oslavou and others. Special thanks to Margita Fuchsová, ambassador of Czech Republic in Ghana. This world premiere is produced by Centre for Choreographic Development SE.S.TA. 

WINTER STADIUM: Jungmannova 10, Žďár nad Sázavou

• Artistic director, Choreography: Jean Gaudin
• Music director, Solo singing: Sébastien Fournier
• Music coordination, casting: Barbara Maria Willi
• Dance interpretation: Ruhia Sadik Maltiti, Ruben Kumade
• Percussion: Daniel Brown, Christopher Ametefe
• Violin: Vojtěch Jakl
• Flutes Anežka Levová
• Violoncello: Michael Raitmajer
• Singing: Zuzana Barochová, Matěj Benda, Vilém Cupák, Kenneth Maciver a Žďáráček
• Scenography: Jean Gaudin a Lukáš Urbánek
• Production: Centrum choreografického rozvoje SE.S.TA
• Running time: 30 min
• Special thanks to Margita Fuchsová, ambassador of Czech Republic in Ghana

African prince the hero of an 18th century French novelIn 1740, Prince Anniaba became the first African hero of a French novel. The whole story began when Louis XIV dispatched a delegation to the Gold Coast, part of which forms today’s Ghana. Then, in 1688, Prince Anniaba set out for Europe, to study European ways, commerce and culture at the French court. Anniaba was ultimately baptised in France and his godfather was none other than Louis XIV himself. The Prince spent more than 10 years at court, becoming a scholar in a number of subjects, and also the ‘the first black officer in the French army.’ Anniaba returned to Africa after the death of King Zéna, to contribute to the political scene there, but was ultimately unable to work alongside the new king… Anniaba’s story is the subject of novel Histoire de Louis Anniaba: Roi d'Essenie en Afrique sur la Cote de Guinée (The Story of Louis Anniaba: King of Essenie on the African Coast of Guinea).

Jean Gaudin (FRA)

Dancer, choreographer, director and coach Jean Gaudinhas for over thirty years worked on projects balancing on the edge of theatre, circus, opera, audiovisual and dance. He is author of dozens of choreographies and many dance videos. Before Jean Gaudinfounded his own group Compagniehe cooperated with Maurice Béjartand Carolyn Carlson. The production of Jean Gaudinis specific byeffort to tell human stories with humor and seriously at the same time, interaction with other artistic disciplines (withmusicians, composers, visual artists, filmmakers...) and bymixing various artistic tools. Films in which he participated werepresented at many various festivals, his choreographies were performed also in Parisian Théâtrede la Ville  and at the Avignon Festival. As an artistic advisor and coach he passes on his rich interdisciplinary experiences to dance groupsand opera, theatre or circus productions. Since 2012 he has become a regular guest of the Centre of Choreographic Development SE.S.TA as a coach of the international residence and since 2013 he has every year created productions for KoresponDanceFestival.

Sébastien Fournier (FRA)

Countertenor SébastienFournier specializes in old music. He cooperated with Henri Ledroit, Michael Chance, David Pollard or Laura Sartiand sang in choirs Les Musiciensdu Louvre (M. Minkowski), Les Arts Florissants(W. Christie) and Accentus(L. Equilbey). As a soloist he performed at many festivals in Europe and Hong Kong.  He is the founder of Baroque music choir Sprezzaturawhich  has also plenty of experiences with popularization of old music. Since 2010 when he represented France at the Shanghai EXPO he has been closely cooperating with Chinese artists. His connection with dance began by production with French choreographer PacoDecinaand within the KoresponDancehe will lead with choreographer Jean Gaudinthe annual master classes and special projects dedicated to children and young.

Barbara Maria Willi (Czech Republic)

Musicologist, organist, harpsichordist of European renown and specialist in the hammerklavier, Barbara Maria Willi has received a number of prizes as a harpsichordist and interpreter of the historical hammerklavier. She collaborates with leading artistic personalities, performing on famous podiums and is a regular guest dramaturg of the renowned international music festival Concentus Moraviae, as well as the leader of the Department of Organ and historical interpretation at the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts in Brno. Barbara Maria Willi will be the coordinator for the musicians selected to participate in GENIUS RISES. 

Ghana Dance Ensemble (GHA)

The group was founded in 1962 on basis of a very successful cooperation of the governmental Institute of Art and Culture and Institute of African Studies at the Ghana University. Ghana Dance Ensemble is a group created with the goal to preserve rich heritage of the Ghana dance culture and support the creative work and creativity using Ghana dances as a basis. Since the beginning the group was supposed to be flag ship of professional global representation of Ghana and its musical and dance heritage and thus based on top-quality professional work and experimental research. In 1960‘s and 1970‘s the group together with Ballet African of Guinea Conakry presented to the world breathtaking insight into African aesthetics and culture from the African point  of view. The current form of the Ghana Dance Ensemble under the leadership of Ben ObidoAyetteykeepsthe authenticity of traditions but at the same time widens the repertoire and examines dance as tool of expressing contemporary questions.

Žďáráček (CZE)

Žďáráček is a children choir from Žďár nad Sázavou. Its goal is to educate children from 4 to 18 years of age in music and above all in singing and to develop the tradition of choir singing which has been present in Žďár nad Sázavou since 1848. Children are from early childhood raised to positive relationship to Bohemian and Moravian folk music culture and respect to works of Czech as well as foreign composers. By passing on the basic artistic and human values the choir strives for distinctive influenceremainingwiththe children intheir future lives. Music as a connection between generations and nations and singing as the most inner expression can in our times represent a suitable path to mutual understanding and tolerance. Currently Žďáráček unites over hundred singersin several departments. On the top level there is the concert choir which has over 30 members between 13 and 18 years of age. Žďáráček has on the repertoire works secular and spiritual, folk and artificial, classical and modern, Czech and foreign and each year it performs in the Czech Republic and abroad. Choirmasters of Žďáráček are Mgr. Dana Foralováand Mgr. Pavel Schmidt. This year it will be the third year that the Žďáráček will cooperate with French artists Jean Gaudinand SébastienFournier on a project for the KoresponDanceFestival.