Screaming Men’s Choir Huutajat: Carmen

On 5 and 6 October, the male choir Huutajat will take part in the world premiere of the new version of Carmen to mark the 150th anniversary of the premiere of Bizet’s original opera. The traditional part of the version, created by Spanish framenco dancer and choreographer Israel Galván, will be performed by the Real Orquesta Sinfónica de Sevilla under the baton of Finnish conductor Maria Itkonen. The opera’s most beloved arias will also be performed in their original form – as a new element, Israel Galvan wants to bring elements of flamenco singer Maria Marini and the Screaming Men’s Choir Huutajat into the opera.

Huutajat is a choir that does not sing. No music either. 20 to 40 well-dressed men take to the stage and start shouting, roaring howls – and even joshing passages from national anthems, children’s songs or international treaties. Sometimes the text is presented as a complex rhythmic structure, sometimes as a simplified lecture.

Petri Sirviö is the choir’s founder, composer and conductor. He is constantly fascinated by contrasts in the concept of the screamers: how to transform spontaneous noise into interesting musical structures. How do you make a herd of men of different shapes and backgrounds into a disciplined uniformed group – or a parody of one? Later, Sirviö has also explored these themes in video art in the context of visual art.

The Huutajat choir from Oulu has become one of the most popular ambassadors of Finnish art. The choir is equally at home at prestigious music festivals, museums of contemporary art, country festivals, museums of contemporary art, and the cultural life of the country.

Israel Galván is one of Europe’s best-known contemporary flamenco dancers. He performs at major festivals and on stages with his own award-winning dance company. He has previously collaborated with the Screaming Duende choir in Screaming Duende, which was performed in Oulu’s AaltoSiilo in the summer of 2023 and screened live by the Finnish Institute in Madrid in its gallery.

Huutajat will perform in Seville with the support of the Finnish Institute in Madrid as part of the NextGenerationEU-funded pARTir initiative. The Institute and Huutajat are collaborating on the Oulu 2026 cultural and cultural city.

Carmen

XXIII Bienal de Flamenco de Sevilla

5 y 6 de octubre de 2024 a las 20:30 horas

Teatro de la Maestranza

Sevilla

Concepto, Coreografía y Baile: Israel Galván

Música: Georges Bizet

Dirección musical: Maria Itkonen