Lost for words

A work looking at communication in an interdisciplinary setting

INTERNATIONAL STANDING: The Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO) appeared dressed in the colours of the Ukraine flag as a show of solidarity with the country’s people, just two days after the Russian invasion began. Ensembles and musicians around the world have been offering their support, with several performances dedicated to the Ukrainian people and the colours of the flag projected everywhere from the Sydney Opera House to the Lithuanian National Opera. Photo: courtesy RSNO

COMPOSER Elisabeth Naske

WORK Lost in Translation for string quartet and four dancers

ARTISTS Diane Pascal, Joanna Lewis (violins) Simon Schellnegger (viola) Elisabeth Naske (cello)

DATE 21 April 2021

PLACE MuTh Concert Hall, Vienna, Austria bit.ly/3p9S6q2

Elisabeth Naske

Lost in Translation dancers

PHOTOS HANNA NASKE.

From Dutch to Hawaiian, Austrian composer Elisabeth Naske’s new work for string quartet and dance takes idiomatic words from six languages to tell a story about communication. ‘My friend gave me the book Lost in Translation by Ella Frances Sanders,’ Naske says. ‘It includes words that need a lot of explanation in their non-native language.’ With the help of choreographer Rose Breuss and stage director Hanna Naske, six words are translated in music, dance and stage design. These media also interact to explore the theme of communication.

First there is the Dutch ‘Plim-plam-pletteren’ that depicts throwing a stone over water. Next comes ‘Akihi’, from the Hawaiian. ‘It is when you get instructions on how to go somewhere, have it in mind, but when you start walking you’ve forgotten it,’ Elisabeth Naske explains. Then, ‘Mamihlapinatapai’ from the Yahgan language of Chile, which is ‘a love song. Each person waits for the other to speak.’

The fourth is the Rukwangali word ‘Hanyauku’ from Namibia, and describes running over hot sand. Next is ‘Iktsuarpok’ from the Inuit. ‘It is when you look out the window and wonder whether someone will come.’ Lastly, there is ‘Mencolek’ from Indonesia, ‘which is when someone jokingly taps you on the left shoulder but stands on your right’. While each word may be distinctly local, the experiences they describe are common to all. How their meanings are conveyed is what Naske tackles in this hour-long work.

Lost in Translation will be premiered at the MuTh concert hall in Vienna. A cellist herself, Naske will also be playing. ‘I come from a string tradition, so I love writing for quartet,’ she says. ‘And when I play, I am really present in the development of the piece.’ The first performances will be dedicated solely to schoolchildren. ‘The piece is about communication, at any age. With the expressiveness of dance, it will be engaging for children. After all, it is a story, and it has to tell you something.’