SPAfrica

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Image courtesy of Grec Festival de Barcelona.

Extractivism and consumerist fetishism take to the stage in a production dreamt up by two minds that combines music, theatre and video in a multidisciplinary experience. They will introduce you to SPAfrica, the first empathy drink you’ve ever seen. Packaged in sub-Saharan Africa, this water is exported to Europe, where it arrives with the added value of each of the 9,000 kilometers it has traveled. Meanwhile, in the heart of Europe and the southern part of the continent, mourning professionals are hired to cry on “tear farms.” The loss and suffering linked to migration are the cause of these tears, which go on the reverse journey and are transferred to the source of water in Africa. The transaction of resources between Europe and Africa (water for tears and tears for water) poses a direct criticism of the neoliberal exploitation of natural resources and people’s emotions.

Studio Julian Hetzel creates artistic projects that bring together contemporary theater, performance art and the visual arts, always with a political dimension and a documentary perspective. The contradiction between ethical principles and economic interests is the basis of his work. His latest creations include There Will Be Light, an invitation to experience life without working; Diarrhea Is My Favorite Color, a search for beauty in ugliness, and Three Times Left is Right, a piece of dark humor about polarization.

Ntando Cele, the solo performer of the production, is a South African director and theater creator, based in Switzerland, who in this edition of the Grec Festival Barcelona is also presenting the piece Wasted Land (Teatre Lliure). As part of the Manaka Empowerment Prod company, he has been staging political comedies and musicals since 2012. Seen on stages and festivals in Europe and South America, his productions delicately dissect prejudices and stereotypes and confront audiences with their own ways of seeing the world. Ntando Cele’s most recent creations include Black. Space. Race. (co-direction; 2019-2020); Go Go Othello (2020-2021) and Yes, Yes, Yes! (2024) a co-creation with economist Corinne Maier. 

Performance will be in English with Catalan subtitles.

Sounds of the City: Summer Music Festivals

What are your plans for summer? If you’re staying in the city, you won’t be alone. Barcelona is becoming a go-to destination for festival lovers, given Catalunya’s covetable combination of culture, great weather and an increasingly diverse concert circuit. So if you’re looking to expand your horizons while staying put this season, check out our article Sounds of the City: Summer Music Festivals for a summary of the summer music events taking place in Barcelona, from big-name gatherings to boutique takeovers.

For more music events check our online events calendar.