Artist description The story of a modern Romeo and Juliet, surrounded by war, corruption and human evil. Shakespeare’s classic, mixed with true stories from besieged Sarajevo, set to music by Sergei Dreznin, whom critics have compared with Bernstein and Lloyd Webber. Performed by Krassnij Angel Company, which combines some of the best voices and brightest talents from several nations.

Music Style highlights from Shakespeare musical "Romeo & Juliet in Sarajevo"

Artist History We came from Bosnia, Serbia, Croatia, Russia, the United States and Austria, and met here in Vienna, where every visitor wandering the ancient narrow streets can feel how the past mingles with the present. Where else to create a show in which Shakespeare’s play is pierced through with scenes from the war in Bosnia, part of Austria’s 19th century empire, now just an hour’s flight away? As the Broadway hit „Rent" brought Puccini opera into the 1990s world of New York’s Lower East Side, we take a classic and create a modern, multiethnic musical. Shakespeare’s immortal lines are sung and infused with new life through the rhythmical power of rap, the seductive sounds of rock and the sheer appeal of jazz. Through this, we seek to share the beauty, passion and tragicomedy of our world as it looks on the verge of a new millenium.After playing in Austria, Croatia and Bosnia we braught our production back to its birthplace Vienna, where its 1995 premiere -- on the day the Dayton peace accord was reached.

Group Members Composer/musical director: Sergei Dreznin, Singers: Jesse Webb (USA), Natasa Mirkovic, Maida Karisi (Bosnia), Paul Wimberger, Reinwald Kranner (Austria) Sinisa Stork (Croatia), Vesna Petkovic (Serbia), Anatoly Dorovskikh (Russia)Musicians: Andi Abraham (guitar), Lenny Dickson (drums), Miriam Pess (bass), Krasny Angel Strings, Johnny Leonhardsberger (sax, flute), Sergei Dreznin (keyboards)

Instruments solo guitar, bass guita, drums, string quartet, sax/flute, keyboards

Albums "Romeo & Juliet in Sarajevo"

Press Reviews "Explosive music theater...fresh images, touching moments"Vienna daily Kronen Zeitung"Seven young mimes, seven personalities ...the music has all the makings of a hit...The groups´s encore is ‘A Tune For Bosnia’. This must be heard to be believed"Vienna daily Die Presse"...deeply emotional experince for actors and audience"Vienna daily Täglich Alles"Interesting score...combining jazz elements with expressionism"Spanish news agency EFE"...they succeed in transmitting the whole range of emotions and conflicts, from the most subleme to the grotesque"Spanish daily El Pais"...the composer found about the only way to transfer the war conflicts to the stage"Feral Tribune, Croatia"They come from Zagreb, Louisiana, Moskow, Vienna, Zenica, Fohnsdorf and Sarajevo. They live and convincingly convey a message that is timeless and valid anywhere in the world: the fate of the individual -- and only that -- shows the deadly absurdity of war".Innsbruck daily Tiroler Tageszeitung"From reality to the stage: Moslem Juliet and Serb Romeo are a triumph in Vienna"Il Messaggero, Milan"An immediate theater like this is a seldom experience"Vienna weekly Die Furche

Location New York, NY - USA

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