Queens of Words

Ordens drottningar is a music and poetry performance featuring newly composed music about the era before World War II, when Yiddish culture flourished. The performance highlights a broad movement of female poets driven by artistic vision and longing for liberation - they faced resistance, yet wrote nonetheless and left behind a treasure of poetry.

This treasure comes alive through singing in Yiddish, poetry readings in Swedish, and stories from the time when these poets were active. Ida Gillner and Livet Nord perform original compositions that range from cinematic chamber music to folk melodies and 1920s cabaret.

Yiddish is one of Sweden's national minority languages, and the performance elevates the language alongside a culture that remains unfamiliar to many. The themes explored include language, history, gender equality, literature, norm critique, identity, minority culture, and poetry. Shtoltse lider has gained recognition both nationally and internationally for its role in bringing these Yiddish poets to Swedish audiences.

Texts: Anna Margolin, Celia Dropkin, Malka Heifetz Tussman, Rokhl Korn. Composition: Ida Gillner. Script: Ida Gillner, Shtoltse lider. Direction: David Sperling Bolander. Swedish translations: Beila Engelhardt Titelman. Costume design: Nonno Nordqvist. Supported by: Kulturrådet, Föreningen Jiddischkultur, Katz Judiska Kulturfond.