Episode 8: Nessum Dorma by Evgeny Shtorn
In the immediacy of March 2022 and the outbreak of Covid 19, the impulse to be home and to connect with those who matter to us, suddenly accelerates.
‘My Spoken Stories commission has been a unique opportunity for me as it came in the exact moment of life when we were all enclosed in our houses observing the great unknown. So, both the wonderful short stories of John McGahern and the work on my contribution became a salvation. Is there anything better than to escape to a reality that is as vivid, funny, wise and deep as the one of McGahern and use it as an inspiration for your own creativity’ says Evgeny Shtorn.
Evgeny Shtorn is a writer and researcher from St Petersburg. Due to his involvement in civil society work he was forced to leave Russia in 2018. In 2019, he was granted international protection in Ireland. He works as a Social and Cultural Diversity Consultant collaborating with different universities and NGOs. In 2019-2021 he co-facilitated a project with people seeking asylum ‘Something from There’ in the National Gallery of Ireland. Shtorn’s writing has been published in academic journals, anthologies and new media outlets. In 2020 his book ‘#khroniki_bezhenstva’ (Refugee Chronicles) about his experience of seeking international protection and direct provision system was published in Russian with an introduction of Masha Gessen.
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New fiction is an integral strand of contemporary Irish cultural expression. SPOKEN STORIES is an RTÉ concept for short fiction to be commissioned and produced under a common theme or thread, and through which the listener is treated to readings of them by invited actors, cast to best serve the stories and audiences.
SPOKEN STORIES 2 Creatures of the Earth, a collection of 12 stories, is a evolvement of the SPOKEN STORIES concept originated by Clíodhna Ní Anluain, who is also its producer. It is being made with support from the BAI and RTÉ.
All stories can be enjoyed by audiences on their first broadcasts from 7.30-8pm pm starting on Sunday 16 October 2022 on RTÉ Radio 1. Colm Ó Ceallacháin is the Irish language story commissioned writer. His story is also being translated into English to be available as a text and as a podcast, following its initial radio broadcast in Irish during the series. Evgeny Shtorn is the contributing writer whose writing language is neither English nor Irish. His story Nessum Dorma will be translated into Russian as part of this project and also available as a text and podcast. The 12 stories will be available as podcasts and also available on https://www.rte.ie/culture/
Among the writers are winners and short-listed writers of many esteemed literary awards including The Booker Prize, An Post Irish Book Awards, the Costa Prize, The Dublin Literary Award, Oireachtas na Gaeilge, and authors whose work has been awarded Irish short story of the Year, as well as numerous other international awards and short-listings, along with major national and international publishing contracts.
Their stories originate from a consideration of Creature of the Earth the title of a story by John McGahern, also the title of his final short story to be published in his lifetime. They illustrate how an idea or concept can be so variously and engagingly interpreted while collectively shedding light on us and our world. The commissions are shared across geographies, identities, those whose first language is neither English nor Irish as well as an Irish language writer. The themes, geographies, styles, locations, as well as the voices of the stories are as varied as the writers involved.
Readers of SPOKEN SPORIES 2: Creatures of the Earth include celebrated actors of stage and screen include Charlene McKenna, Daryl McKenna, Stephen O’Leary, Emma Dargan-Reid and Pat Shortt specially selected to add another layer of interpretation to these stories.