The Book of Women

The Ensemble in Residence of the Musikfestival Bern 2025, Ictus, and the vocal ensemble Irini will be exploring the Indian epic Mahabharata with composer Riccardo Nova. It’s about female power in the Middle Ages.

Different levels come together in this «Book of Women». On the one hand, there is the French-based polymorphous vocal ensemble Irini, which specialises in early music; on the other, there is the Ictus Ensemble, famous for new music; and then there is the Indian singer and flautist Varijashree Venugopal.

These styles and styles of music-making now interpenetrate and interlink in ever-changing ways. Riccardo Nova, an Italian composer born in 1960 who has studied Indian music intensively and for a long time, was inspired by the Indian epic Mahabharata. Historical and speculative aspects are combined in his «Book of Women» for voice, vocal ensemble, ensemble and electronics.

The entire concert deals with female power in the late Middle Ages, especially in the Gothic period. The aim is to evoke the power of Mary, the courage of women and the miracles of female saints. However, it will not be a Marian mass, the organisers promise.