Madrigals
Utopian spectacle piece: crackling Monteverdi, explicit visuals, and surprising electronica.
Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe & Doon Kanda / Muziektheater Transparant (BE/JP)
Theatre maker Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe dares to take on Claudio Monteverdi in MADRIGALS. A prince of late Italian Renaissance music who published his vibrant Madrigali guerrieri ed amorosi toward the end of his life. Meirhaeghe moulds these effervescent vocal works about war and love into a call for freedom, fuelled by belligerence and passion. Taking his cues from the ancient Greeks, he creates a contemporary and unbridled orgy as the boundaries between the human and the divine start to blur.
To Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe, theatre is a crossroads in time. A time machine in the present where distant pasts and futures, source, and utopia merge into a radically new narrative with a corresponding sound and cast. Beyond the distinction between insider and outsider, MADRIGALS presents a community brimming with uniqueness and talent in which conservative dogmas and stigmas make way for sexuality and discharge.
“Benjamin is one of today’s most versatile and fascinating young music theatre makers. Madrigals is an exciting performance that offers a very special take on Monteverdi’s repertoire. Daring, with elements of surprise. A perfect fit for O. in other words.” – Guy Coolen (artistiek directeur O.)
Concept & director: Benjamin Abel Meirhaeghe
Music: Doon Kanda (aka Jesse Kanda) & Claudio Monteverdi
Musical leader, cocomposer: Wouter Deltour
Dramaturgy/research: Louise van den Eede
Scenography & light design: Zaza Dupont, Bart van Merode
Cocurator artworks: Koi Persyn
Choreography: Sophia Rodriguez in collaboration with the performers
Musical coaching: Pieter Theuns
Voice coaching: Rosanne Groenendijk
Shibari coaching: Marc Beshibari
Performed by Hanako Hayakawa, Alice Giuliani, Els Mondelaers, Lucie Plasschaert, Khaled Barghouthi, Clément Corrillon, Victor Dumont, Antonio Fajardo
Musicians/quartet: Madoka Nakamaru, Wouter Deltour, Pieter Theuns, Rebecca Huber, David Wish
Visual artists: Sanam Khatibi, Justin Fitzpatrick, Thomas Renwart, Anthony Ngoya, Gilles Dusong, Christiane Blattmann, Daan Couzijn, Che Go Eun, Tom Hallet, Nokukhanya Langa, Tristan Bründler
Video: Filip Anthonissen
Costumes: Kasia Mielczarek
Teaser & making-of: Charles Ddogt
Photography cave: Thibaut Lampe
Website: Studio Dier
Production management: Laura Van Houtte, Stage manager: Anne van Es, Light operator: Danielle van Riel, Sound operator: Bart Celis, Video & Surtitles operator: Bert Demeulenaere, Technicians: Pat Caers, Janneke Donkersloot, Technical assistance: Pablo González, Intern (assistant director): Ika Schwander
Production: Muziektheater Transparant and d e t h e a t e r m a k e r
Coproduction: DE SINGEL, Produktiehuis Theater Rotterdam, Concertgebouw Brugge, C-TAKT, B’Rock Orchestra and Perpodium
Distribution: ART HAPPENS
In collaboration with O., Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, Troubleyn/Laboratorium and Matterhorn vzw
Supported by Inspiratum, Belgian Tax Shelter and the Flemish Government
With special thanks to Showtex, Kopspel, Divi-divi and Grotte de Dinant