Cultural Work Means Planting Seeds for the Future

Some time ago we received a beautiful letter. It was a letter of appreciation and thanks at the same time – and an invitation for future collaboration within the framework of a European cooperation project.

The words that Radoslava Vorgić wrote to us made me very happy, because recognition for hard cultural work is always something special. At the same time, they showed me something important: how crucial it is to see one’s own work – especially in the cultural field – as seeds that one plants in the earth and that may only bear fruit later.

One produces a project, organises a concert, plays music, publishes a book, discovers a forgotten score or brings something unknown to light – and often thinks only of the immediate moment. Doubts creep in: lack of funding, small audiences, sometimes even hostility. One wonders whether one is doing the right thing, whether it is useful at all, or whether it is merely the crazy gesture of a utopian visionary.

These doubts are understandable but not very productive. There is nothing reprehensible about creating beauty, music that heals souls, brings people together and brings light into darkness, or bringing monuments and stories from the past before everyone’s eyes.

Every cultural work – whether small or large – is a seed that is placed in the earth. Good seeds of peace and beauty, which may bear their fruit not today, but tomorrow or the day after.

The story with Radoslava is a wonderful example of this. Together with Nevena Sovtić, she was among the first participants in our 2024 competition “Orpheus: Spirit of Renaissance”. Already during the first contact we sensed her deep enthusiasm for early music. She travelled with Nevena to Görlitz, reached the semi-finals with a very high score and impressed us with her passion, professionalism and extraordinary charisma. “Charisma” is the right word, because there are artists who radiate light. Light figures.

Because Radoslava not only possesses a strong stage presence, but also has sound experience in early music, I invited her to take part in the “Hammerschmidt” project. The collaboration became a great enrichment. She proved to be not only an absolute specialist, but also a modest and inspiring artist – a quality that often distinguishes the greatest artists.

From this one seed (the Orpheus Competition) grew a first fruit: the Hammerschmidt project funded by the EU and the Culture Moves Europe programme. And it did not end there. Rada got to know the lutenist Raphael during the project and invited him to Serbia. Together they realised the successful project “Between Iberia and the Balkans” there.

Now that we see that our visions for Europe and the revival of cultural heritage are moving in the same direction, we would like to let the small tree continue to grow – beyond Serbia and Saxony, perhaps to Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland and further afield. Because our Europe is thirsting for the rediscovery of its rich heritage.

Two photos and Rada’s letter continue to tell this story. In the first photo we see Rada during the concert with madrigals by Hammerschmidt in Olomouc (Czech Republic) in May 2025 – exactly one year ago. In the second photo, the magnificent red beech tree that we see from the window of our house in Augustastraße. Who knows how small this tree was when a good spirit planted it in this courtyard more than 100 years ago. Today it is perhaps the most beautiful tree in the whole of Görlitz and has been inspiring us for ten years with its strength and beauty.

Letter from Rada dated 2 April 2026 (original in English).

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Dear Eleni,

I am truly very much looking forward to September and to spending time again in Görlitz. Everything sounds absolutely wonderful, and I am genuinely excited about it. I have also been meaning to write to you for some time to thank you for the beautiful time we shared last year. It was a truly special experience for me. In fact, something very meaningful grew out of it. Our renewed collaboration with Rafael. Through our organization, VEMA – Vojvodinian Early Music Association, we applied for and received support from Culture Moves Europe for Rafael’s residency in Novi Sad. In many ways, the seed of this entire project came from our meeting with you, and I want to sincerely thank you for that. We realized a fantastic project together — Meila, Rafael, and myself — titled "Between Iberia and the Balkans", bringing together music from the Balkan region and Spain.

It was a very vibrant and meaningful artistic encounter, and I am sending you our press kit in attachment. If you feel that this program could fit into any of your future concert series, we would be very happy to collaborate. The program can be presented either as a trio (voice, recorder, lute), or, if needed from a financial perspective, as a duo with Rafael and myself — especially as a natural continuation of the Culture Moves Europe residency. We could also create a more intimate program for soprano and vihuela alone, offering a refined chamber format with a very direct connection to the audience. I must also say, Rafael is an outstanding musician, and working with him has been truly inspiring. (...)

Looking ahead, we are currently preparing an application for an EU programme (deadline May 5). We are in the process of gathering documentation, and Meila and I will reach out to you soon with more detailed information, as we would be very happy to explore possible collaboration within this framework as well. Warmest regards, Rada

P.S. You have played a truly important role over the past months, giving me inspiration, new ideas, and perspective for both my past, current and future projects. When I look back — from the competition, to Hammerschmidt, to this collaboration with Rafael, to the opera in September, and now to new writing projects — I can clearly see how much has grown from our encounter. For that Eleni, I am deeply thankful.

Radoslava Vorgić

Soprano

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