A compelling story about the banality of violence, truth and reconciliation.
In the middle of a small arena stands a man. He tells us his incredible life-story. He is surrounded by musicians who underpin, colour and comment on his tragic narrative. Amongst them is a mysterious woman. Is she a guardian angel, his conscience, his supposedly lost daughter?
The soprano Claron McFadden and actor Dirk Roofthooft are flanked by the BL!INDMAN saxophone quartet in this partly narrated, partly sung story that is musically inspired by the 15th-century Missa Gaudeamus by Josquin des Prez.
For this production, the artist Hans Op de Beeck and composer Eric Sleichim are collaborating for the first time.
“The Valley is intriguing for its powerful script combined with the first-class lighting by Peter Quasters … The platform for the musicians, and sometimes also for Claron McFadden, is a stylistic triumph and stands up in its own right. … So The Valley captivated us … the foundations are strong and this music-theatre performance will very probably continue to develop the more it is performed.”
Concertnews.be ***1/2 - 3 mei 2019
“The Valley has something of a gothic story. It seems as if Op de Beeck is bringing one of his art installations to life. Gradually we explore dark chambers, evoked in age-old stories about love, death and mourning for a lost world. ... The music is based loosely on the structure of a mass by Josquin Des Prez, translated by the saxophone quartet into an almost unearthly serenity. In the meantime, Op de Beeck's colorful sentences curl around imaginative landscapes.”
De Standaard *** - 6 May 2019
Credits
- Concept • Eric Sleichim / Hans Op de Beeck
- Composer | Musical Director • Eric Sleichim
- Text | Director | Decor | Costumes • Hans Op de Beeck
- Dramaturgy • Tobias Kokkelmans
- Artistic advice • Alex Mallems
- Light design • Peter Quasters
- Vocals • Claron McFadden / Lore Binon
- Actor • Dirk Roofthooft
- Ensemble • BL!NDMAN
- Bl!ndman Saxophonists • Raf Minten / Koen Maas / Piet Rebel / Pieter Pellens
- Sound Technique • Karel Marynissen
- Translation • Prof. Mark Janse
Location | Dates | Hour | |
---|---|---|---|
deSingel Antwerpen (Antwerpen) +32 3 248 28 28 www.desingel.be | 3/5/2019 4/5/2019 | 20:00 20:00 | |
Tandem ArrasDouai (Douai) +33 (0)9 71 00 56 78 www.tandem-arrasdouai.eu | 27/5/2019 | - |