One universal language
​Music can bring about change and fraternisation. It is with this motivation that Hanna Shybayeva, Maya Fridman and Konstantyn Napolov enjoy performing together. They moved to the Netherlands from Minsk, Moscow and Odessa respectively. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has turned their lives upside down. But they are determined to show that music can bridge differences and that musicians share a common language.

Together with New European Ensemble, they present a premiere programme of Ukrainian pieces and compositions by composers from Belarus and Russia who resist dictatorship. Maya Fridman will play the Dutch premiere of the Cello Sonata by Evgeny Kissin, the world-renowned Russian-born master pianist ​who takes a strong stand against the war, including with his compositions.

The programme also offers world premieres by Maxim Kolomiiets and Victoria Poleva, two prominent young Ukrainian composers. The Belarusian Kanstantin Yaskou was a figurehead of musical life in his homeland, which he fled. A major new work for the New European Ensemble will be premiered at our festival.

Program

​Maxim Kolomiiets
Reflections of Emptiness for percussion and piano
world premiere

Victoria Poleva
Shades for percussion, viola and piano
world premiere

Evgeny Kissen
Cello Sonata
Dutch premiere

Oxana Omelchuk
Nocturne for ensemble and electronics

Kanstantin Yaskou
​Oneness for ten musicians
world premiere

A panel discusses the current situation in Belarus. The work of many Belarusian artists, composers and musicians was banned in their own country. The New European Ensemble will therefore play works by Yaskou, Podgaiskaya, Voronov en Omelchuck.

This concert will be livestreamed. Order a free ticket for the livestream here.

In 2018 Daphnis et Chloé premiered to the music by Ravel, and in 2020 The Echo of Being, to music by Mahler. Watch them both in one evening! (separate tickets required)

 

With his impressionistic music for this ballet, Ravel beautifully embodied the sensual and sultry atmosphere of the ancient Greek shepherd idyll. Van Woerkum’s interpretation shows that the search for true love is complicated because Chloé loses herself in ostentation and narcissism. It’s up to Daphnis to show Chloé that under her mask is a vulnerable and loving person.

For the LONE WOLF project, producer and artist Delic goes a step further in expanding the boundaries of audiovisual art. LONE WOLF stands for finding your own way in life and making your own choices. New European Ensemble plays an intro for the show.

New European Ensemble presents the premiere of the 1984 performance with whistleblower Edward Snowden and actor Boris van der Ham based on George Orwell's book. Estonian composer Mihkel Kerem wrote an ensemble piece inspired by the novel for NEuE. Film maker Gijs Besseling made an accompanying film in which musicians from the ensemble portray Orwell's story linked to their role in the piece. Narrations from Orwell's novel are acted by Boris van der Ham with commentary by Edward Snowden. Snowden made the disclosure about the US NSA and the extent to which ordinary citizens' communications are intercepted and tapped. According to Snowden, “Increasingly we lose our seat at the table and our ability to steer the future and all of these processes begin from the corruption of language which was Orwell's greatest fear.” The increasing extent to which our personal communications are intercepted and stored by companies and governments prove the relevance of 1984 in the present time. Advances in technology make it possible to keep us under surveillance and are nothing less than a step towards Orwell's dystopia. “A massively powerful piece…the playing is superb…a superb telling of Orwell’s story.” -Musical America “A powerful evocation of the dystopian themes of Orwell’s novel places the orchestra score at its heart…gripping and compelling.” **** Planet Hugill New European Ensemble Willem Stam cello Boris van der Ham actor Edward Snowden presentation Gijs Besseling film Karim Ameur translation and dramaturgy

The Mad King, by OPERA2DAY and the New European Ensemble, is an immersive and colorful theater experience, in which a powerful man in isolation fights his delusions, a strange guest enters, astonishing sounds can be heard, and we can escape our seclusion for a while, corona proof – on the wings of art.

Surrounded by his wondrous bird collection, the man cranks up his barrel organ and becomes inspired by the sound and color of remarkable mechanical instruments: all meant to stifle the cackling voices in his head. But then a strange guest flies in. It is a migratory bird from Asia that takes up residence in one of the cages, thus posing a threat to the magnificent collection of songbirds. The beginning of a free fall, which forces him to face his fears, beliefs and habits.

The legendary “Eight Songs for a Mad King” by composer Peter Maxwell Davies have their roots in history. The ‘mad king’ is George III of England, the monarch who, in addition to the American colonies, also lost his mind. He used the tunes from a mechanical organ to teach his collection of bullfinches to sing. In 1969, Peter Maxwell Davies converted these melodies into a range of music styles that form a poignant theatrical account of madness and insanity. These crazy and outlandish songs are the ultimate challenge for a baritone, who has to use his voice from frighteningly high to heart-sagging low, performed with extreme expressiveness.

In The Mad King by OPERA2DAY and the New European Ensemble, the eight songs are heard amidst the isolated man’s fabulous fantasies. In these, the music of court composer Georg Frideric Handel plays a major role. The music from his operas and oratorios, also full of bird song and folk music, fits extremely wonderful into the universe of The Mad King.

Worth a special mention is the collaboration with Museum Speelklok – the specialist in the field of mechanical organs and musical instruments.

ARTISTIC TEAM

Concept and stage direction Stefano Simone Pintor
Music Peter Maxwell Davies, Georg Frideric Handel, Brendan Faegre
Libretto “Eight Songs for a Mad King” Julian Randolph Stowe, based on the writings of George III of Great Britain
Design of the musical universe Brendan Faegre
Musical direction Hernán Schvartzman
Artistic direction New European Ensemble Emlyn Stam
Scenography Herbert Janse
Light design Uri Rapaport
Sound design Arne Bock
Technical producer Ronald Tebra
Costume design Mirjam Pater
Hair and make-up Nienke Algra

CAST

Baritone Charles Johnston or Wiebe Pier Cnossen
Mime Bodine Sutorius
Ensemble Six musicians of the New European Ensemble (on stage)

New European Ensemble presents the film 1984 with Edward Snowden on NPO Television Network New European Ensemble presents the premiere of the Dutch language film 1984 with Edward Snowden on Sunday March 21 at 23:05 on Netherlands NPO2 Extra. The film with actor Boris van der Ham and whistleblower Edward Snowden is based George Orwell’s classic novel. The Estonian composer Mihkel Kerem wrote a new ensemble piece based on the novel, which will be performed by the New European Ensemble in the film. The premiere of the English language version of the film with actor Joseph Thompson, will be launched with Greengage Ventures on April 23 at 19:00. A tour with performances in theatres will begin in October 2021. 1984 Movie Premiere The New European Ensemble drafted Gijs Besseling to create a full-length movie combining Kerem’s ensemble piece with texts from Orwell’s novel acted by Boris van der Ham and Joseph Thompson and presented by Edward Snowden. Musicians from the ensemble also act in a gripping cinematic rendition of the events from novel. Credits 1984 Text: George Orwell Film: Gijs Besseling Director: Emlyn Stam Producer: Frederique Meijers Actor: Boris van der Ham/Joseph Thompson Presentation: Edward Snowden Music and conductor: Mihkel Kerem Cello solo: Willem Stam Ensemble: New European Ensemble Duration: 65 minutes Made possible by: Het Kersjesfonds, the Netherlands Performing Art Fund and The City of The Hague for making 1984 possible.

Grensvariaties is a new music theatre performance about physical, social and psychological boundaries. The music is composed by Martijn Padding and the libretto written and performed by P.F. Thomése. During the performance Thomése sits in the middle of the small five-piece ensemble consisting of flute, clarinet, trumpet, harp and viola. Humour plays a key role in communicating the central message of the performance; that exploring the boundaries blurs their solidity. Language: Dutch PROGRAMME Martijn Padding – Grensvariaties With texts by P.F. Thomése PERFORMERS New European Ensemble P.F. Thomése – narrator

Grensvariaties is a new music theatre performance about physical, social and psychological boundaries. The music is composed by Martijn Padding and the libretto written and performed by P.F. Thomése. During the performance Thomése sits in the middle of the small five-piece ensemble consisting of flute, clarinet, trumpet, harp and viola. Humour plays a key role in communicating the central message of the performance; that exploring the boundaries blurs their solidity. Language: Dutch PROGRAMME Martijn Padding – Grensvariaties With texts by P.F. Thomése PERFORMERS New European Ensemble P.F. Thomése – narrator in co-operation with Dag in de Branding

Heinrich Heine’s Deutschland. Ein Wintermärchen is a satirical epic detailing his journey from Paris to Hamburg during the winter of 1843. The work was censored after its publication because of its anti-German language and satirical, political caricatures. Robert Schumann’s Märchenerzählungen are similarly witty and satirical as is György Kurtág’s Hommage à R. Schumann inspired by his predecessors piece for clarinet, piano and viola. Texts: Heinrich Heine (German) Music: Robert Schumann and György Kurtág Actor: Jan Hellberg Musicians: James Meldrum – clarinet, Shuann Chai – piano, Emlyn Stam – viola

DJ and curator of nonclassical concerts Gabriel Prokofiev will create a concert performance with us by mixing his own electronic improvisations on three works performed by the ensemble. New European plays Steve Reich’s pullitzer prize winning Double Sextet as well as new works by Italian composer Carlo Boccadoro and Prokofiev in what promises to be an upbeat evening of driving minimal beats. PROGRAM Gabriel Prokofiev – New work (world premiere) Carlo Boccadoro Primo Taccuino dell’ombra e della Luce Steve Reich – Double Sextet