KITKA’s adventurous new vocal-theater project The Rusalka Cycle: Songs Between the Worlds premiered to packed houses and overwhelming response last month in Oakland, California. Our work with composer/performance artist Mariana Sadovska, and stage director Ellen Sebastian Chang challenged and stretched us into some very exciting new forms of creative expression, and we, as artists have been deeply transformed by this experience. KITKA is now seeking resources that will enable us to release a CD recording of the music from The Rusalka Cycle (featuring KITKA with cellists Moses Sedler and Elaine Kreston and percussionist Kevin Mummey) and to remount and tour the production in San Francisco in 2006 and beyond.

What People Are Saying

ALL MUSIC GUIDE
http://www.answers.com/topic/the-rusalka-cycle-songs-between-the-worlds

BLOG CRITICS
http://blogcritics.org/archives/2007/11/06/122234.php

MINDTANGLE
http://mindtangle.net/2005/11/14/the-rusalka-cycle/

WNYC NEW SOUNDS
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/newsounds/episodes/2007/11/06

CHICAGO PUBLIC RADIO
http://www.wbez.org/Program_RM_Segment.aspx?segmentID=14147

MIDWEST RECORD REVIEW (3RD ONE DOWN)
http://www.midwestrecord.com/2007/11/07/110707/

MAXIMUM INK MUSIC MAG (Scroll Down)
http://www.maximumink.com/articles.php?articleId=1211

SHEPHERD EXPRESS
http://www.shepherd-express.com/1editorialbody.lasso?-token.folder=2007-11-15&-token.story=178919.113121&-token.subpub

MURUCH MUSIC ENTHUSIAST
http://muruch.blogspot.com/2007/11/kitka-rusalka-cycle-songs-between.html

Coming soon: National Features on The Rusalka Cycle on American Public Media's THE STORY and Public Radio International's THE WORLD.

Quotes From the Audience

“Very powerful performance — moving, beautiful, mischievous and nasty... the essence of RUSALKA!”

“Incredible, wonderful music and performance. I want all my friends and all my others to see it. Thank you!”

“Wonderful, challenging, provocative.”

“A truly remarkable performance, vocally, and artistically and ethnographically the strongest of the last 20 years.”

“Stunning stage direction. Unpredictable choices. Haunting, human music.”

“Best ever! More!”

“I know I sent out an announcement already about Kitka's Rusalka Cycle, but now I've seen it and want to tell you that it's honestly one of the most powerful pieces of performance I've seen in years. There are still two more shows and I can't recommend it enough. Anyone with any interest in beautiful singing, Slavic culture, insanity, death, vodka, dill, radiation, or spirits will be deeply moved by this show.”

“Wonderful and brave!”

“A great cultural experience!”

“GREAT SHOW!!!! Moving, sad, funny, sexy, bittersweet inspiration.”

“So powerful, very emotive, so empowering. ... Truly phenomenal.”

“Resonated very deeply!”

“I saw the most amazing production in Oakland last night! I found it deeply moving and profound on many levels, spanning the intensely personal to the expansive, universal scope of female experience. I've seldom attended anything like it and encourage anyone interested in the performing arts and multicultural experiences to attend.”

“Very intense, moving, enlightening, and very emotional. Wonderful!”

“It was really great to see you looking and sounding so POWERFUL. I get tired of "pretty." Congratulations on a successful stretch. I just wanted to send this to everyone I know because it's one of the most astonishing pieces of theatre I've seen in many years. Both Phil and I left the theatre Friday night (at a preview performance even!) reciting the names of everyone who should see this, if possible, and we ended up with a list of everyone we've ever known. So, if you are able to fit this into your schedule, I would highly recommend going. Wow!”

“Amazing. Powerful. Amazing.”

“Very inspiring to see Kitka doing such world-class work. What a success!”

“Kitka takes a part in singing into being THE REAL WORLD. You really turned yourselves inside out today. Depth dimension funky scary fantastic. Words fail.”

“Excellent, extraordinary. Please do it again!”

“Wow. Words can not express the pure power of women's voices raised in honest, raw expression. Thank you! This performance was intense... uncomfortable at times. Profoundly moving. At times lighthearted and joyous. Always engaging. Always poignant and real. Thank you!”

“Incredible, transformative, heart-wrenching, euphoria, reawakening, blessed.”

“One of my favorite styles of vocal music, brilliantly presented. Thank you!”

“Excellent, powerful, beautiful.”

“This performance was deeply about grief, in a respectful and wonderful way. We need this kind of expression on America, especially at this time. More power to you.”

“Loved it!”

“I saw an amazing show last night. It was the preview performance of The Rusalka Cycle, a new piece created by composer/arranger Mariana Sadovska, the members of Kitka, and stage director Ellen Sebastian Chang. It was the first time I can remember crying after a live performance due to the sheer impact of the piece (as opposed to being subjected to emotional manipulation as in a tear-jerking movie - this was not like that). I was simply overwhelmed. ... it is a wonderful, transporting, innovative, and beautiful piece of work. Kitka is the all-female vocal ensemble internationally known especially for their mastery of Eastern European vocal music. I think of them in the same breath as I think of Chanticleer, even though their musical directions are very different. But what Chanticleer is to male vocal music (classical and gospel), I feel Kitka is to female vocal music (classical and folk). They are simply the ones who matter most.”