The organisers of the Eurovision Song Contest will swap “making your mind up” for “to be or not to be” when six of its member countries pay an “eclectic musical tribute” to William Shakespeare.
The annual jamboree which once gave us Lulu’s “Boom bang-a-bang, boom bang-a-bang” is not typically known for the quality of its lyrics.
A rapper from France and an ensemble from Slovenia featuring a tuba player and accordionist will be among those setting Shakespeare’s texts to music.
The UK’s representative, electronic experimentalist Matthew Herbert, once released a record featuring 635 objects including violins and guitars as well as breakfast cereal, gas pumps and coffins – and someone vomiting outside an arms trade fair – and drums recorded in a hot air balloon at 100mph.
Herbert, whose work has ranged from house to pop to big band, also made an album called Bodily Functions which featured noises generated by manipulating human hair, skin and internal bodily organs – and the sounds of laser eye surgery. He has also been nominated for an Ivor Novello award.
The “New Shakespeare Songbook” is being organised by Eurovision parent, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
It will be broadcast in various forms across Europe as part of a wider commemoration of Shakespeare’s work, including the BBC’s own Shakespeare season marking the 400th anniversary of the Bard’s death.
French rapper Oxmo Puccino, Norwegian singer-songwriter Ane Brun and Austria’s Eva Jantschitsch – AKA Gustav – will be taking part.
They will be joined by singer Gregor Volk, piano Trio Rêverie, tuba player Goran Krmac, accordionist Janez Dovč from Slovenia and Swiss actress Anahì Traversi together with cellist Zeno Gabaglio.
EBU media director Jean Philip De Tender said: “Shakespeare is one of the pillars of European culture and the richness of his texts is reflected in the wonderful creative responses from EBU members working with some of today’s most imaginative artists.”
The project will produce seven new short films, also available in a 30-minute edited form, with viewers encouraged to make their own contributions and sharing them with the hashtag, #newshakespearesongbook.
The Swedish producer of this year’s Eurovision has criticised the late Sir Terry Wogan, who he said had “totally spoiled” the contest by mocking acts with his commentary for UK viewers.
Wogan handed over the role to Graham Norton in 2009, whose take on the contest adopted a similar tone.
