Poster
Cornucopia (also called Björk's Cornucopia) is the tenth concert tour and first theatrical production by Icelandic singer and songwriter Björk. Debuting as a residency show on eight non consecutive nights at Manhattan's The Shed culture center, it was one of the first shows being performed at the venue, which was inaugurated in April 2019. Concepted upon Björk's ninth studio album, Utopia, it is directed by Argentine film director Lucrecia Martel, and was described as the singer's "most elaborate stage concert yet.[1] In 2023, songs and visuals of 2022's Fossora were incorporated into the show.
The show in Lisbon, Portugal on 1 September 2023 was filmed. A shortened version was premiered on Apple TV+ as part of the Apple Music Live series on January 24, 2025, with a full length version receiving a theatrical release.
Instruments[]
The show was backed by several bespoke instruments, created or modified to suit the needs of the show and the singer.[2]
The Organ Pipe (played on "Body Memory")
Organ pipes
The pipes make the tones E flat and B flat. The length allows them to create very deep and powerful sounds. The larger pipe weighs 800 lbs and the smaller pipe weighs 339 lbs
They are in the sub contra octave. The bigger pipe is Eb with 19.44544 Hz & the smaller pipe is Bb with 29.13524 Hz.
The notes are so deep it makes the audience around them rumble.
The Circle Flute
The circle flute is played on "Body Memory" whilst Björk stands on the center
The circle flute played in #cornucopia consists of four conjoined flutes that are curved to form a circle. the instrument requires four players to come together into a quartet where each player is indispensable, and given that the instrument cannot be played privately, each player's relationship to the instrument becomes inseparable from their relationship to the other players.
The Xylosynth
Also known as a ‘xylophonic synthesizer’, is an electric percussion mallet instrument, similar to a xylophone. Created by Will Wernick in 1986, the Xylosynth is hand crafted in Leicester, England.
The Aluphone
The shape of the Aluphone bells was inspired by a fencepost cap. Aluphone bells can be mounted in varying configurations or even used as individual hand held bells, making them flexible for all kinds of percussion arrangements. Invented by Denmark’s marimba player Kai Stensgaard and designer Michael Hansen.
The Segulharpa
The Segulharpa is an electromagnetic acoustic instrument, it has 25 steel strings hidden within, each one interacting with powerful magnetic fields created by internal analog circuitry . Touch sensors are embedded into the grain of the wood, & as the player touches the surface, wonderfully complex interactions are created inside. By Úlfur
The MULTI Piezoelectric Violin
The alien-like violin is played on "Body Memory"
This violin forms part of a suite of five 3D-printed music instruments mounted on a digitally fabricated sonic wall, originally created for an exhibition at Javits Center in New York. 3D-printed at Florida International University’s Miami Beach Urban Studios in PLA plastic and finished with high definition polish & car paint coating, & it was designed and prototyped with support from a team of architecture students. Created by MONAD Studio with Scott F. Hall and Jack Garcia.
Outfits[]
Costume designer Olivier Rousteing of Balmain designed the outfits worn by Björk and the other musicians. Headpieces were designed by James Merry.
For the encore, Björk wore a dress called "Sphaera" by long time collaborator Iris van Herpen.
Making off[]
Björk’s Cornucopia. d&b On location
Dates[]
New York residency (The Shed)[]
| Date | City | Venue | Opening act |
|---|---|---|---|
| 06 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 09 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 12 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 16 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 22 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 25 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 28 May 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 01 June 2019 | New York | The McCourt at The Shed | The Hamrahlid Choir |
Mexico residency[]
| Date | City | Venue | Opening act |
|---|---|---|---|
| 17 August 2019 | Mexico City | Parque Bicentenario | UNAM Staccato Choir |
| 20 August 2019 | Mexico City | Parque Bicentenario | UNAM Staccato Choir |
| 23 August 2019 | Mexico City | Parque Bicentenario | UNAM Staccato Choir |
| 27 August 2019 | Mexico City | Parque Bicentenario | UNAM Staccato Choir |
| 30 August 2019 | Mexico City | Parque Bicentenario | UNAM Staccato Choir |
European shows (2019)[]
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening act |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13 November 2019 | Brussels | Belgium | Forest National | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 16 November 2019 | Esch-sur-Alzette | Luxembourg | Rockhal | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 19 November 2019 | London | United Kingdom | The O2 Arena | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 25 November 2019 | Glasgow | Scotland | The SSE Hydro | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 28 November 2019 | Dublin | Ireland | 3Arena | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 2 December 2019 | Oslo | Norway | Oslo Spektrum | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 5 December 2019 | Copenhagen | Denmark | Royal Arena | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 8 December 2019 | Stockholm | Sweden | Ericsson Globe | The Hamrahlid Choir |
USA shows (2022)[]
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening act |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 January 2023 | Los Angeles | United States | Shrine Auditorium | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 29 January 2023 | Los Angeles | United States | Shrine Auditorium | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 01 February 2023 | Los Angeles | United States | Shrine Auditorium | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 05 February 2023 | San Francisco | United States | Chase Center | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 08 February 2023 | San Francisco | United States | Chase Center | The Hamrahlid Choir |
Australian and Asian shows (2023)[]
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Opening act |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 March 2023 | Perth | Australia | Shrine Auditorium | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 6 March 2023 | Perth | Australia | Shrine Auditorium | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 9 March 2023 | Perth | Australia | Shrine Auditorium | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 12 March 2023 | Perth | Australia | Chase Center | The Hamrahlid Choir |
| 28 March 2023 | Tokyo | Japan | Tokyo Garden Theater | Samady Choir |
| 31 March 2023 | Tokyo | Japan | Tokyo Garden Theater | Samady Choir |
European shows (2023)[]
| Date | City | Country | Venue | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 September 2023 | Lisbon | Portugal | Altice Arena | This show was filmed. "Victimhood" and "Fossora" were debuted live. |
| 4 September 2023 | Madrid | Spain | WiZink Center | "Mycelia" was debuted live as a interlude before "Victimhood". |
| 8 September 2023 | Paris | France | Accor Arena | |
| 12 September 2023 | Milan | Italy | Mediolanum Forum | |
| 16 September 2023 | Prague | Czech Republic | O2 Arena | |
| 19 September 2023 | Vienna | Austria | Wiener Stadthalle | |
| 23 September 2023 | Bologna | Italy | Unipol Arena | |
| 18 November 2023 | Krakow | Poland | Tauron Arena | |
| 21 November 2023 | Hamburg | Germany | Barclays Arena | |
| 24 November 2023 | Leipzig | QUARTERBACK Immobilien Arena | ||
| 28 November 2023 | Zurich | Switzerland | Hallenstadion | |
| 2 December 2023 | Nantes | France | Zenith Nantes Metropole | |
| 5 December 2023 | Bordeaux | Arkéa Arena |
Personnel[]
- Björk, creator, creative director, choir, flute and string arrangements, music production and musical direction
- Lucrecia Martel, director
- Tobias Gremmler, digital visuals
- James Merry, co-creative director, headpiece designer
- Chiara Stephenson, set designer
- Olivier Rousteing of Balmain, costume designer
- Iris van Herpen, costume designer
- Dilara Findikoglu, costume designer
- Manish Arora, costume designer
- Yuhan Wang, costume designer
- Noir Kei Ninomiya of Comme des Garçons, costume designer
- Edda Guðmundsdóttir, stylist
- Viibra, flute septet
- Melkorka Ólafsdóttir
- Áshildur Haraldsdóttir
- Berglind Tómasdóttir
- Steinunn Vala Pálsdóttir
- Björg Brjánsdóttir
- Þuríður Jónsdóttir
- Dagný Marinósdóttir
- Sólveig Magnúsdóttir (for Mexico shows)
- Harp
- Katie Buckley
- Ruth Ellen Benneth
- Manu Delago, percussion
- Bergur Þórisson, electronics, rehearsal direction and score preparation
- The Hamrahlid Choir, choir
- Þorgerður Ingólfsdóttir, choir conductor
- Staccato, choir (for Mexico shows)
- Odilón Chávez, choir conductor
- Margrét Bjarnadóttir, choreographer
- Bruno Poet, lighting designer
- John Gale, sound design and front of house sound engineer
- D&B Audiotechnik, audio provider
- Southby Productions, soundscape technology
- Hungry, makeup artist
- John Vial, hair
- Spider Witch Company, hair
- Arca, original music co-production, new versions of "Isobel" and "Mouth's Cradle"
- Matt Robertson, rehearsal direction and score preparation
- Irma Studio, production design
- Heimir Sverrisson, production designer
- Peter Van Der Velde, production manager
- Shane Myrbeck, reverb chamber design
- Arup Group, reverb chamber design
References[]
- ↑ Cush, Andy (12 November 2018). "Björk to Debut “Most Elaborate” Stage Show Yet in New York". Spin.
- ↑ Björk (12 May 2019). "in preparation for the next performance...". Facebook.