apr 19 now Hello! ‘I think anything can feed you, depending on An historical the way you look at it or listen to it,’ said the acclaimed American choreographer Merce Cunningham, who would have been 100 years old this month. We’re marking this occasion with a feast for the senses, bringing together take on a dancers and musicians to celebrate his seven decades of work (see P5-6). While Cunningham had a huge effect on 20th modern issue century dance, two sisters made an impact on the period’s music. Nadia and Lili Boulanger Films created from sci-fi master Stanisław Lem’s aren’t frequent names on concert programmes, but their influence was powerful. Find out more stories not only allow us to think about the future, about them in a fascinating immersion day with but also about what it means to be human. the BBC SO (P3). Japanese composer Midori Takada joins forces with Lafawndah to channel the spirit of the mythical blue fox for her first new music in 20 years (P4), while we look back at films influenced by sci-fi master Stanisław Lem (P1). And if you’ve ever wondered about the Yellow Line that runs through the Barbican estate, resident Jane Northcote will reveal its secrets (P17). Discover more delicious treats for eyes and ears with us this month Contents Now Highlights What’s coming up this month 1–4 A century of influence 5–6 Cinema 7–8 Classical Music 9–10 Silent Star Contemporary Music 11–12 Our 2019 season Life Rewired looks at ‘real’ Hari, but if she’s not Hari, who is she? Is Theatre & Dance 13 how artists are responding to a time when she to be discounted as a mere simulacrum, or Art & Design 14 technology is simultaneously enhancing respected and loved as a human? And what our lives and challenging our identity by can we understand about the alien intelligence Soon creating machines with human characteristics, that has generated this replica Hari? Book now for these penetrating all levels of our existence while forthcoming events 15–16 shifting ideas about what it means to be human. And in The Interrogation of Pilot Pirx (1979) Always It’s a topic renowned Polish writer Stanisław a shady corporation is developing a line of Lem explored, as we’ll see in a special season androids which they hope will replace human Enjoy the Barbican dedicated to the science fiction master. beings on space flights. As a test, they launch at any time of day 17–18 a mission to Saturn with, a “mixed” crew. The ‘Lem used the sci-fi genre as a means of commander, Pilot Pirx, must work out who is exploring existential themes,’ says Barbican human and who is not – a task which leads him Cinema Curator Tamara Anderson, who’s (and the film) to ponder such questions as the programmed Smart Robots, Mortal Engines: impact of technological progress on morality, Stanisław Lem on Film. ‘Frequently his stories the difference between man and machine, the stage an encounter between a human and limitations and strengths of humanity.’ artificial or alien intelligence, the better to illuminate what it means to be human For Smart Robots, Mortal Engines: example, in Solyaris – screening here in a Stanisław Lem on Film rare Russian TV version – an astronaut, Kris, 6-16 Apr is confronted with a replica of his dead wife, See page 7 for details Hari, an emanation of the mysterious planet Part of Life Rewired Solaris he is orbiting. Kris knows she is not the Curated in partnership with Kinoteka Film Festival 1 barbican.org.uk now soon always Meet Gali Gold ... Grime producer New Head of Cinema mentors students Swifta Beater, who’s worked with the likes of P Money and Big Narstie, performs as part of the Barbican Box programme Over the last few months, Swifta Beater has been working with secondary school students in east London – performing for students, answering questions and visiting the schools involved – in his role as artist mentor for Barbican Guildhall Creative Learning’s flagship Barbican Box programme. As part of our year-long season Life Rewired, this year’s box is designed by music technology specialists Native Instruments and is filled with tools and objects to inspire teachers and young people to make new music. The project culminates with a showcase in the Barbican Hall featuring students performing their original works created during the Gali Gold programme, as well as a performance by Having fallen in love with cinema-going as a a mode of expression but also one of activism – Swifta Beater. child growing up in Jerusalem, Gali Gold says someone who’s seen a film isn’t the same person film has always been a fascination and a joy in they were when they walked into the cinema. Film Barbican Box Showcase her life. has a unique way of getting into people’s minds 24 Apr and hearts, it’s an art form that has the ability to See page 11 for details ‘I remember as a child going to see the most make a difference.’ awful commercial films at a cinema that showed B-movies next door to my dad’s work. I loved It’s this view that inspires her approach to work. sitting there watching films on a huge screen, ‘From big releases through our thoughtfully enjoying immersing myself in the stories and programmed seasons, to our championing of images in the company of others (despite the small independent films, everything we do is films’ dubious quality…).’ curated,’ she says. ‘Our team carefully selects everything, considering the films’ use of cinematic As she grew up, Gold became more interested in language, the diversity of points of view, the the art house cinema and was a regular visitor to variety of stories told and the talent behind the Jerusalem Cinematheque, where programming scenes. This needs to align with our approach a season about women in the Middle East to equality and inclusivity and, the way film brought about the realisation that this was the demonstrates, via its relation to multiple art career she wanted to pursue. forms, our commitment to cross-arts. Her path to the Barbican included roles as Head ‘Cinema is and should remain an accessible of Programming at the Birds Eye Film Festival, form of artistic expression, and we celebrate that; Artistic Director of the UK Jewish Film Festival, but at the same time there needs to be a stamp Director of the Jerusalem Gay and Lesbian Film of quality – and that’s what we bring.’ Festival, and Associate Producer of the Jerusalem International Film Festival as well as delving into She says our tailored programme for Barbican film studies, teaching film in various capacities audiences highlights our unique voice of and writing a PhD about documentaries made independent, timely, international cinema. ‘There by Israeli women. She joined our Cinema team in are lots of other cinemas in London but what we 2012 as a programmer. offer is unique. Not only will you see films here you won’t see elsewhere, but the special events Gold says a key developmental moment we run alongside the films, touching on pressing for her was in the 1990s while working for issues of the day and the framing of thematic a Palestinian-Israeli women’s grassroots programming, makes the Barbican a special organisation which worked towards just cinematic experience.’ resolution of the conflict in the region. She curated a film series which aimed to share Like any passionate fan, picking a ‘favourite understanding of the cultures separated by film’ is impossible for Gold, who says ‘There are conflict. ‘Watching those films I was engrossed too many loved ones to choose from.’ But when in the stories, the lives, the multiple point of pressed she adds, ‘If you consider an eclectic views, and it made me understand that what and more recent spectrum that moves between I wanted to do was enable that exposure of Far from Heaven to Mulholland Drive, through different experiences and visions to other Fish Tank, In the Mood for Love, Beau Travail, people,’ she says. News from Home, Arna’s Children, Amour, Selma, Strong Island and Toni Erdmann, You’ll get ‘It’s made me a believer in the power film has on a pretty good sense of where my heart lies.’ us as individuals and as a society. I feel cinema is April 2019 2 now Pic supplied is too pixilated to use Delve into brilliance Nadia and Lili Boulanger ‘Nadia Boulanger was incredibly strong-willed the piano writing. The build-up to the end is and knew she wanted to dedicate her life fantastic, taking both performers and listeners helped shape the sound of to teaching and conducting,’ says Dariescu. to a thrilling culmination. Lili’s pieces are full the 20th century, but their ‘She was the first woman to conduct several of charm, exploring the full versatility of the major orchestras in America and Europe keyboard; they are very descriptive, both in the music doesn’t make it onto including appearances with the BBC and title and the actual music.’ concert programmes as Boston Symphonies, the Hallé and Philadelphia Orchestras, and the New York Philharmonic. BBC SO Total Immersion: often as such a grand Lili and Nadia Boulanger statement might suggest. ‘As a teacher, she mentored some of the most 6 Apr influential figures like Aaron Copland, John See page 10 for details Lili’s career as a composer was cut short in Eliot Gardiner, Elliott Carter, Dinu Lipatti, Igor 1918 when she died aged just 24.