A tiny staged concert: With Popsongs from Ted Schmitz Nico and the Navigators stage a tender concerto with a loud counterpart at the Heimathafen Neukölln.
In contrast to you
A tiny Staged Concert
…I could be you, you could be me…
„Im Gegensatz zu dir“ looks at how much we value freedom today, seeks out the power to be found in differences and starts the investigation off with itself:
Two men meet on stage. One is still a drama student, the other has been a tenor for years. One is outspoken and confrontational, the other is melancholic and pensive. In search of contrasts, both characters examine their patterns of thought and behaviour and in so doing reflect more and more the big questions and moods of our time. How much freedom do we have to be “different”? How difficult is it to protect social freedom?
„Im Gegensatz zu dir“ is a tender concerto with a loud counterpart.
Ted Schmitz, a long-standing member of the Navigators ensemble, has composed his own songs, which will be heard on the night for the first time. Having folk and country elements, his songs lead listeners into a figurative world that lies somewhere between levity and melancholy. Again and again, Fabian Kulp uses Navigators-style verbal attacks to set a counterpoint and bring the music of an optimist face to face with turbulent world events.
In contrast to other productions, with this work Nicola Hümpel asks whether art today is still allowed to move away from political questions and lets world events have an impact on her actors.
A production by Nico and the Navigators. Funded by the Fonds Darstellende Künste and the land of Berlin. Premiered at the Performing Arts Festival Berlin.
photo: Dieter Hartwig
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…Stephan Bienwald, Philipp Kullen and Jan Gerdes…, [who] in the most congenial way keep up with the melancholic and melancholy songs of good Ted, who has a disarmingly beautiful voice anyway, …appropriately…, which of course works out great in the end….
I still remember Nico and the Navigators (from six years ago, when I saw them live for the first time, with Rossini's Petite Messe Solenelle) as highly musical-professional jokers and general pranksters - at that time I was still "somewhat" upset by their behavior; But in the meantime this individual tendency to excitement has calmed down even with me (one just gets older and more relaxed), yes, and so today nothing can upset me too quickly. .. * Now there has been a two-person play between Ted Schmitz and Fabian Kulp. Plot goes like this: "Two men meet on stage. One is still an acting student, the other has been a tenor for years. One is brisk and confrontational, the other melancholic and pensive. In their search for contrasts, the two characters examine their patterns of thought and behavior and increasingly reflect the big questions and moods of our time. How much freedom do we have to be 'different'? How hard is it to protect social freedom?" (Source: kunst-PR-ojekte.de) So Schmitz is the one who sings and makes music (as in real life, by the way; as a lyric tenor he has had and still has stops here and there at the established houses of this world, yes, and as a songwriter and singer he is currently promoting his CD album under the title wanderingted) - and Kulp is the one who speaks and acts; the latter then acts as the real initiative slinger, who seems to be constantly trimmed to the puffiest blow-out attacks against the kellyfamily-like campfire-uridyll à la 'Kids, honestly, but I can't hear your blathering anymore, do you have something more clever and above all something more rousing to offer your listeners, no, well, then I'll help you out a bit' or so. Because also from Stephan Biewald (electric guitar, banjo and guitar), Philipp Kullen (drums) and Jan Gerdes (keyboard, harmonica, piano) not exactly igniting jumps over to us, which is simply because they just in the most congenial way with the melancholic-sad songs of good Ted, who anyway has a disarming-wonderful voice, not more and also not less than adequately strive to keep up, which in the end then of course works great. In summary, it can now be claimed that then all this chatter (between him & him) with guarantee has not been able to prevent that the current new songs (from good Ted), eight in number, could be sung / played in turn, and without any (disturbing) interference by 'nen third - - and the good Fabian should feel here for God's sake just not addressed; the music, and compared to the disdainful word, just always prevails - if it is good, yet: Unlike you. http://www.kultura-extra.de/theater/spezial/premierenkritik_imgegensatzzudir_niconavigators.php
A beautiful, moving concert with a pinch of melancholy and a lot of reference to reality, because Kulp and Schmitz rub up against each other, duel with words, sound out what’s possible. Kulp impresses with impatience, power and refined lyrics, Schmitz with voice and charm.
At the Heimathafen, "Im Gegensatz zu dir" by Nico and the Navigators is playing. The evening fascinates and works: Five Men and Freedom. Actor Fabian Kulp plays a young man looking for a role model who finds world-weariness and resignation. American tenor Ted Schmitz sings his self-penned indie folk songs, accompanied by musicians Stephan Bienwald, Jan Gerdes and Phillip Kullen. A beautiful, moving concert with a pinch of melancholy and a lot of realism, because Kulp and Schmitz rub up against each other, duel with words, sound out what's possible. Kulp impresses with impatience, power and refined lyrics, Schmitz with voice and charm.
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