Berlin Jewish Museum Bowls
January 23, 2012
On the last weekend of November I made a much overdue trip to Berlin. I had not been for three years – since directing and choreographing Guys and Dolls in Germany in 2008 – that's another story!
We wanted to see the recent developments in the city and my partner had never been – so it was a birthday treat and a chance to catch up with friends.
Among the developments were all the great museums. Amongst those was Daniel Liebeskind's Jewish Museum.
I had in the back of my mind that there would be some reference to Song of Songs here and there were. However the biggest impact was made by these bowls of spices and minerals. Star Anise, rose buds, cinnamon, myrrh amongst others.
In the Fourth Chapter/Song, verse 13/14 it says, in one of many references to herbs and spices: 'Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with pleasant fruits; camphire, with spikenard, Spikenard and saffron; calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense; myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.'
Many of these are not well known to us today, in our culture, so I look forward to doing a smelling day in the rehearsal room.
by Struan Leslie
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