❤️ 2 Russia ~ “With love to Russia” – Kiss-in protest in front of the Russian embassy in Berlin against controversial anti-gay law in Russia. Under the motto “Enough is enough” , with the slogans “With love to Russia”, and “Putin go homo” demonstrators carried posters with the portrait of president Putin with heavy makeup (speech notes below).
Speech notes :
Berlin history shows : It is a small step from exclusion to violence. We here are kissing men and kissing women out in the open , just like it shows in the nearby ‘Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism’. A warning to all of us. That is why we protest here at the embassy of Russia against criminalizing kissing.
Shit , this is a Kiss-in , go on , go kiss , smooch, each other ! Mr Putin lets make love. Like men can have a women bosses , and Blacks can sit in the front of a bus in the US, and now have a black president. Don’t be afraid of kissing people… All you need is Love. With Love to Russia! Think about it , love is not a fuckin crime – Rather then applaud , smooch, each other , it’s a Kiss-in.
Second edition (20200908) of film first published at Vimeo and 1-memo.com dd 20160724 . Unter den Linden , Berlin , Germany, September 8, 2013
❤️ 2 Russia | 20200908 | 20160724 | Michel van der Burg | 1-memo•com
Wadden Sea Sparkle #InverteFest ~ Fireworks from Sea Sparkle – Noctiluca scintillans – in the port of the dutch Wadden Sea Vlieland, midnight July 21, 2018 . Wadden Sea Sparkle #InverteFest | 20200823 | Michel van der Burg | 1-memo•com pic.twitter.com/hxDvIgXY6R
Wadden Sea Sparkle #InverteFest ~ Fireworks from Sea Sparkle – Noctiluca scintillans – in the port of the dutch Wadden Sea Vlieland, midnight July 21, 2018 . Wadden Sea Sparkle #InverteFest | 20200823 | Michel van der Burg | 1-memo•com
Octopus #InverteFest ~ Octopus film shoot in Damouchari Bay (Ntamouchari) 5 September 2016. One minute #InverteFest Twitter 2020 edition.
InverteFest is the periodic event on Twitter founded and run by Franz Anthony, Maureen Berg and Kelly Brenner to explore and discover the invertebrates. Octopus #InverteFest | 20200822 | Michel van der Burg | 1-memo•com .
Octopus ~ Encounter with an octopus (Common Octopus / Octopus vulgaris) while snorkeling in shallow water of the Mediterranean sea, exploring a cliff crevice of Damouchari Bay (Ntamouchari) the afternoon of 5 September 2016 at the Pelion peninsula of Greece.
Celebrating InverteFest 21-23 Aug 2020 publishing this new edit 20200821. A Covid-19 pandemic participation stuck at home. #InverteFest
InverteFest is the periodic event on Twitter founded and run by Franz Anthony, Maureen Berg and Kelly Brenner to explore and discover the invertebrates where we live.
First edition of this video was published online 20160918 at 1-memo.com (vimeo.com/183207774). Octopus | 20160918 | Michel van der Burg | Miracles.Media
Righteous Medal ~ Medal of the Righteous Among the Nations – from the Yad Vashem holocaust center in Israel for the Righteous helping Jews during the Holocaust – with the inscription in French ” The grateful Jewish people” and the French translation of the Jewish saying “Whoever saves a single life, saves an entire universe”.
This medal was minted for Nelly Quintard, a widow in her fifties during the war, who hid the Frankenthal family (Abraham, Esther, and daughter Scheindel) in her home in Brussels, Belgium, from September ’42 until the end of the occupation.
Interview with Janiv Stamberger (researcher Kazerne Dossin / University of Antwerp) filmed by Michel van der Burg (michelvanderburg.com) on August 18, 2016 at the Wiki Loves Art event in Kazerne Dossin , Mechelen , Belgium.
Robert Maistriau’s memorabilia – Yad Vashem medal, pistol, small version lantern of Robert Maistriau in Kazerne Dossin , Mechelen , Belgium , August 18, 2016. Image Ref.: mvdb20160818_204617 by Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | Wikimedia CC BY-SA 4.0
A very special image (Image Ref.: mvdb20160818_204617) is that of Robert Maistriau’s medal together with his other memorabilia in the Kazerne Dossin Museum – a pistol, and a small replica version (gift from a friend) of the lantern used with the attack on the 20th death train (Transport XX) from Kazerne Dossin in Mechelen to Auschwitz .
Righteous Medal | 20200820 | Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | Miracles•Media
Camp Prisoner Badge W-46 Kazerne Dossin ~
A prisoner’s cardboard badge number W/46 from the SS administration of Kazerne Dossin. Jews earmarked for forced labour as prisoners in the SS Mechelen transit camp, the Dossin Barracks (Kazerne Dossin) carried a cardboard neck badge with “W” (Werk) followed by a number.
Interview with Janiv Stamberger (researcher Kazerne Dossin / University of Antwerp) filmed by Michel van der Burg (michelvanderburg.com) on August 18, 2016 at the Wiki Loves Art event in Kazerne Dossin , Mechelen , Belgium.
A still from this video (Image Ref.: mvdb20160818_182230) is available via Wikimedia .
Note : I corrected the number (from 64 to 46) in the Wiki description today , but I am not able to change the number in the file name (and the listed camera metadata) on Wikimedia.
Camp Prisoner Badge W-46 Kazerne Dossin | 20200819 | Michel van der Burg | michelvanderburg.com | miracles.media
PUSH opera at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels – Online via OperaVision
OperaVision
Today , 7 August 2020, the Brussels’ PUSH opera recorded March 13, 2019 at La Monnaie Opera House has been made available online for the next 6 months (until 5 Feb. 2021) with subtitles in English, French and Dutch and with the option of auto-translation into over 100 other languages via the OperaVision platform – portal of the Opera Europa, European association of opera companies and festivals. http://operavision.eu/en
PUSH made its world première on Saturday 1 October 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill on Sea (UK). This powerfull inspirational community opera was specially commisioned from Howard Moody (composer , conductor, musical director) by Battle Festival (Sally Lampitt, festival director and producer, and Dave Furness, chairman) for Battle Festival 2016 and the ROOT 1066 International Festival in partnership with Glyndebourne and the De La Warr Pavilion. Simon Gronowski attended the premiere.
The opera is inspired by the true story of Simon Gronowski, whose mother pushed him off a train heading to Auschwitz in 1943 – an action that saved his life and gave the opera its name.
Howard Moody first met Simon Gronowski at a performance of his opera Sindbad in 2014 at La Monnaie Opera House in Brussels. Simon told the Howard the story of his escape and life and ended with the phrase “Ma Vie N’est Que Miracles !”. Moody was so moved he promised that night to write his next opera about Simon.
Howard’s opera PUSH tells the story of Simon’s escape from the 20th Convoy Train on April 19, 1943 – how his mother pushed Simon off the train – and the recent story of Simon meeting and forgiving his former camp guard of deportation camp Mechelen , some years ago.
PUSH was directed by Simon Iorio in Bexhill and later that month at the nearby St Mary’s Church in Battle , and performed by the PUSH orchestra , the Battle Festival Community Choir and PUSH singers — a cast made up of singers of all abilities from Battle and the surrounding area — children, teenagers and adults were resistance fighters, collaborators and prisoners — while three professional soloists played the roles of Simon (James Newby), Simon’s Sister (Tereza Gevorgyan) and the Guard (Matthew Stiff).
PUSH tells Simon’s story but also deals with much broader themes of persecution — a story of our times, full of themes of hope and togetherness, separation, and fear.
The PUSH community opera was next performed in the UK in Salisbury and Chichester (2018), and with a special performance to mark International Holocaust Memorial Day in January 2019 at the Speaker’s House in Westminster, London (hosted by The House of Commons, Chichester MP Gillian Keegan) that was attended by leaders in the Jewish community along with members from both houses of Parliament.
March 2019 PUSH premiered in Simon Gronowski’s hometown , in Brussels at La Monnaie Opera House and was performed in the presence of King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Simon Gronowski and family. Director of the Brussels’ performance was Benoît De Leersnyder and Howard was conductor of La Monnaie’s Chamber Music Ensemble with a mixed youth and adult Chorus / La Monnaie’s Children’s and Youth Chorus. Soloists were James Newby (Simon), Sheva Tehoval (Simon’s sister) , Ivan Ludlow (Guard) and Felix Cooper / Thylan Aerts / Milo Avalosse / Djurre Diels (Young Simon). Lighting designer was Ace McCarron. Sets & Costumes by Emilie Lauwers and both Emilie Lauwers & Simon Van Rompay did the Video work.
PUSH Opera – Finale with giant choir – Lockdown 2020 🇧🇪 🇬🇧
Finally, during the lockdown 2020, singers from all four casts of the previous productions in Belgium and UK – Bexhill, Battle, Salisbury, Chichester, London and Brussels – recorded their parts to create a virtual giant choir of over 150 opera singers.
The film ‘My life is only miracles’ – the finale of Howard Moody‘s opera PUSH – was edited by Shogo Hino – with additional work by Michel van der Burg , Miracles.Media – and released online the night of April 19th 2020 to mark the 77th anniversary of protagonist Simon Gronowski’s escape from the death train Transport XX to Auschwitz. That night more than 200 prisoners escaped from the train before the German border after three Brussels resistance heroes stopped that Nazi train Transport XX, transporting 1600 Jewish deportees to Auschwitz.
Following the online premiere of this virtual performance of Howard Moody’s PUSH finale that was created during lockdown , the La Monnaie Opera House too made available temporarily last April for screening online the entire opera of PUSH, performed in March 2019 in Brussels.
OperaVision featuring PUSH online
Today , 7 August 2020, the Brussels’ PUSH opera recorded March 13, 2019 has been made available online for the next 6 months (until 5 Feb. 2021) with subtitles in English, French and Dutch and with the option of auto-translation into over 100 other languages via the OperaVision platform – portal of the Opera Europa, European association of opera companies and festivals. http://operavision.eu/en
Interview with with Sue Kent and Howard Moody. By Wiltshire Creative , April 2020
This Big Interview is with composer Howard Moody and Sue Kent, founder member of Salisbury Arts Centre and general manager of La Folia. They are in conversation with Wiltshire Creative’s Take Part Director, Louise Dancy.
link https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=565415244109794
PUSH Opera – Bexhill | Battle Festival 2016
PUSH Opera – Live recording of the world premiere on 1 October 2016 at the De La Warr Pavilion – Music and libretto by Howard Moody – Commissioned by Battle Festival
online link https://vimeo.com/199353255
