"The crack" takes place in a real space, as intended by the libretto, namely in a bunker that was built in the middle of the Second World War between 1941 and 1944 for guests passing through under the main train station. At the scene of a real event.


PLOT

The people fled to a bunker. They've been living there for a long time, they laugh, they argue, they eat, they dance, they drink, and when the plane squadrons are approaching outside and the bombs are falling, they're overcome by fear. There is war outside. While people die on the streets, those underground try to maintain a sense of normalcy. But hysteria is in the air, the harmony between people is fragile, small disputes escalate. They all live lives on demand. 

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In "Music for a Bunker," a composition with a libretto by Micaela von Marcard, Jelena Dabic incorporates autobiographical narratives. The music for "Riss" captures a counterpoint between different time periods, sounds, worlds, and cultures. It reflects a fusion of styles, blending Sprechgesang with virtuosic coloraturas and even elements of pop-like singing. The raw material draws from folk music, resulting in a truthful and simultaneously grotesque composition.

Director Vendula Nováková's production takes advantage of the unique setting of an underground bunker at the main station. David Schulz's animation adds another dimension to the performance, delving into the eerie hallways, windowless dormitories with bunk beds, the food counter, the washrooms, and the dreary waiting-room-like lounges.

As viewers, we follow the protagonists through their everyday stations within the chaos, becoming immersed in the action while also maintaining a certain observational distance.

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