For those who don't know them yet, Antanjula – which means 'Bridge to the other land' – is a young and driven musical duo of early twenties, consisting of Belgian Theo Carpentier and German Angela Ambrosini. They are making their mark with intimate music of their own creation, influenced by various stylistic idioms.
With violin and nyckelharpa, they cover a rarely seen combination. They met each other at a workshop at the German Burg Fürsteneck and have not stopped playing together since.
Nyckelharpa
The nyckelharpa is nowadays a fairly rare instrument. Until late in the 15th century, however, this special instrument was widely spread in Western and Southern Europe, after which it fell into disuse. Only in Sweden has the instrument managed to survive. Angela Ambrosini has devoted her heart to it. At age 13, she participated as a musician and composer in the project ENCORE (European Nyckelharpa Cooporation Orchestral Experience). In that same year she had her first concert tour in France with the ensemble of Lucilla Galeazzi. She has since performed on stages in Germany, Italy and Estonia.
Theo Carpentier studied violin at the Lemmensinstituut. His love for this stringed instrument is so great that he also pursues baroque violin and folk music. For Bending Bridges, their first production, the ranks were reinforced with dancer/choreographer Robson Ledesma, also active at P.A.R.T.S..
Out of the darkness...
... comes the distinctive sound of the nyckelharpa. After a few chords, the violin joins the rather shrill soundboard. On a dark stage, a crescent moon emerges, formed by the shadow of a round platform with a white stripe in the middle. When the light intensity increases, the three protagonists move to the small, round playing surface. The dancer stretches out. The musicians play.
The three protagonists are on a slowly rotating platform and position themselves opposite each other. Although the playing field is small, there is no connection. Three individuals unto themselves, lonely souls. In the arena of life – which can be both battleground and stage – two images come together. How you see yourself (identity) and how others see you (image). The difference between identity and image often leads to tension and conflict, but can also be the exciting beginning of a dialogue.
That ping-pong is actually happening every day. Sometimes you lose your identity to what you think you are through the eyes of others. You can also lose yourself in your image. No longer knowing what comes from within, because there are so many impulses from outside affecting you. It's a bit like tightrope walking. You're constantly trying to find your balance between the inner and outer. That is, in the first instance, a dialogue with yourself and with all the others. A mental treasure chest really. Leaving the safe and familiar for the unknown, discovering the other and the world.
Dancing towards the unknown
The stage is and remains an inexhaustible reservoir of inspiration and magnetism. Art born from practice or pure improvisation. If the dancer is first satisfied with his spot on the small intimate island, soon he is curious about the space around it. He reaches for the unknown. Explores the space. Gradually, however, interest grows, curiosity for each other, and the dancer ventures out beyond the round playing surface, encouraged by the playful sounds of the string duo.
Robson Ledesma is a dancer with a strong and flexible body. With musicality as well, which allows him to interpret the notes almost instinctively. The simple beauty of his flowing gestures is appealing. Gradually the light dims. The players are wrapped in the soft darkness of safety.
The premiere of the interdisciplinary performance Bending Bridges took place on May 1st at the Concertgebouw of Brugge and could be seen via streaming. The last weekend of June the production was on tour and stopped in Antwerpen, Gent and Turnhout. As a first work a commendable attempt, but the whole falls rather thin, lacks depth and sparkle.