Munich calls Pristina...
Emotions, goosebumps, deep sadness and a teary-eyed audience in the overcrowded theater Heppel & Hettlich. This is how we could describe in a few words the incredible moments we experienced yesterday, being invited to a unique event in honor of Bekim Lumi. Për nder të Bekim Lumi…
You don´t know Bekim Lumi? No reason to have a bad feeling. Though he was “the most original, unique, intelligent and sophisticated voice of the theater scene in Kosovo and beyond”*, he belongs to the men who was – unfortunately – recognized posthumously. Especially, here in Munich, even though he desperately wanted to play in a Bavarian theatre, something that he tried for more than a decade… Even if he was, allowedly, an artist genius!
*cit. by Jeton Neziraj, one of the most important Kosovan playwright (Former Artistic Director of the National Theatre of Kosovo)
Nevertheless, Bekim Lumi is alive, when active theatre people from all over the world come together. Bekim Lumi is alive, when the Western world wants to learn more about a place, risen from the ashes of a recent war – Kosovo. Because Bekim Lumi was and is still a remarkable chapter of the modern history of arts.
A proof of the fame Bekim Lumi gained instantly after his death, is the above picture of a scene that is worldwide unique, as one of the initiators of the event, Dr. Hawre Zangana (PhD in Performing Arts) confirmed. Mr. Zagana analyzed the idea of Bekim Lumis ensample that performed as if their dead director was alive by bringing his casket on stage. After the performance, the actors and the audience accompanied him to his last trip to the pantheon of the immortal artists. According to Zangana, this is something that outruns even the theory of Heterotopia of Michael Foucault.
His niece remembers the last moment she shared with her uncle. It was a trip to the mountains. Suddenly, he saw an abandoned bathtub that impressed him. After a while, she saw the same bathtub on the stage! It was the inspiration of his next work. So, she realized that Bekim Lumis whole life was theatre. He was totally devoted to the theatre, that was his fane and his house. His niece and his ensample and many people who knew, admired and loved him were also present at the event. Present was also his mother, a figure similar to the female protagonist of an ancient Greek tragedy.
Even if it was a sad event, alike a requiem, it was also an occasion to come together and to pay tribute to a special man who was discovered and introduced to the German audience by Sabine Böhlau. Arts and Kosovo are very dear to her big heart. Even today, she cannot understand why Bekim Lumi had to suffer so badly from the pain of his disease. On the picture, you see Sabine embracing the important Columbian Director Otto Novoa, Victoria Mali by Ethno News and the Kurdish Doctor of Performing Arts Hawre Zangana.
Bekim, if you can see us form above Faleminderit for all what you gave us and Falje for being too small to understand your Bigness.
Yours,
Victoria and the entire Team of Ethno News