“Liepāja Art Forum” to Premiere Requiem for the Afterlife

On September 29 at 17:00, the Liepāja Art Forum will conclude with the premiere of an innovative interdisciplinary work, Requiem for the Afterlife. This staging, featuring pianists Robert Fleitz and Rihards Plešanovs alongside poet Madara Gruntmane, combines piano music and poetry to explore themes of life, death, and the afterlife.

The piece was developed exclusively for the festival during a summer residency at “PAiR” in Pāvilosta. Over a week-long collaboration, Fleitz, Plešanovs, and Gruntmane discussed themes of the unknown afterlife, reflecting on mortality and existence beyond death while creating a work that is both meditative and exploratory.

Robert Fleitz’s interest in the afterlife stems from his observation that, in his home country of the United States, discussions about death are often avoided. “There’s a desire to forget that death is inevitable,” Fleitz remarks. “By bringing this heavy subject into the spotlight, we hope to understand it better through music. Thinking about death also prompts us to think more deeply about life. Madara, Rihards, and I have frequently discussed our curiosity about what comes after life, but ultimately, it’s our present lives that matter most. Contemplating death helps us reflect on how we live right now.”

In Requiem for the Afterlife, the two pianos represent angels, guardians, and monuments to the mysteries of the afterlife. Each musical piece conveys a different interpretation of what might occur after death. The music was carefully selected to resonate with Madara Gruntmane’s poetry, which served as a source of inspiration throughout their residency. During the performance, Madara will act as a guide, infusing the music with poetic meaning and encouraging audiences to engage with their own spiritual consciousness.

“Our goal is to bring the poetry cycle “AfterLove” to life through this production,” Madara explains. “This won’t be a traditional concert. The text is integral to our work, inspiring the music chosen by the pianists and shaping what the three of us are creating together.”

Drawing from a 2022 poetry collection, the pianists have selected compositions by Latvian and international composers, including Ernests Vilsons, Riho Esko Maimets, Annija Zariņa, Olivier Messiaen, Krists Auznieks, Maurice Ravel, and Takashi Yoshimatsu. These pieces, designed for two pianos or four hands, will be infused with poetry lines, improvisations, and new compositions developed during the residency.

Watch a VIDEO of the artists discussing the production process: https://youtu.be/3CLsAt0S1oE

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