Totemism

This blog is dedicated to the first rate performer, singer and musician Diamanda Galás. Diamanda Galás (born August 29, 1955) is a Greek-American avant-garde composer, vocalist, pianist, performance artist and painter. Known for her expert piano as well as her distinctive, operatic voice, which has a three and a half octave range, Galás has been described as "capable of the most unnerving vocal terror". Galás often shrieks, howls, and seems to imitate glossolalia in her performances. Her works largely concentrate on the topics of suffering, despair, condemnation, injustice and isolation. She has worked with many avant-garde composers, including Iannis Xenakis, and Vinko Globokar. Greatness exists independent of most peoples judgement or opinion. We only listen to the wise. The fools have no vote, this is not a democracy. Photos are published by the kind permission of the artist. Her official website: http://diamandagalas.com/

The Crying Spider

Kategori: Music

Concert program cover from Diamanda Galás' performance at the Dark MOFO festival, June 22, 2014.

I have never seen such a stylish and striking concert program cover before, and that includes hundreds of concerts, gigs, operas, plays and dance performances, which I have attended. Oh, dear. I wish I had been there, because a concert with Diamanda Galás is, by any measurement conceivable, something to DIE for. Bow down, peasants! I am sure that the choice of  'The Crying Spider' by Odilon Redon on the cover is linked somehow to the work 'Das Fieberspital', performed at the festival in question. The image connects at least two points.