Opera Ballet Vlaanderen has developed into a hybrid organization over the past years in which much interdisciplinarity is expressed. This gives the institution a unique position in Belgium and beyond. 'Vonk', a platform for arts education and inclusion, forms the third pillar of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen, alongside opera and ballet/dance. The productions are composed of an impressive cocktail of familiar items from the lifeworld of young people, with opera as a connecting factor. That a niche is being filled with this is evident from the predominantly young audience in the auditorium.
The name of this new project immediately evokes reminiscences of the historical children's book by Thea Beckman from 1973, 'Kruistocht in spijkerbroek'. But the comparison ends right there.
With 'Kruistocht' plain and simple, Opera Ballet Vlaanderen and KOPERGIETERY create a family opera in which 'children's rights' form the starting point for a musical protest against oppression. They do this in a multimedia, adventurous production that explores the boundaries between music, image and performance. A creative laboratory.
Just over 40 children claim their place on stage: 14 children from the theater workshops of KOPERGIETERY and 27 young singers from the Children's Choir of Opera Ballet Vlaanderen. Frederik Neyrinck composed the music. Emotions, connection and empathy belong to the meaning and also the function of music. The duo Lennert & Janus Coorevits, better known as Compact Disk Dummies, provides a rousing sound with their electropunk and convincingly play the villains. They place the turntable in the centuries-old setting of the symphony orchestra.
Staging
An empty stage. Rosa, a displaced woman, strands in a strange place. She searches for a way out, but cannot find one. She is terrified when the orchestra starts. Behind her, a fine-meshed curtain descends onto which waves are projected. In the immense blue sea, your attention is drawn to movement. First the size of a pinhead. It is zoomed in on. A girl is about to drown. Fighting for her life. The fate of the many migrants, including many children, in rickety, overcrowded boats searching for a better future is immediately brought to attention.
The curtain is raised and on stage stands a second woman, Clio, Rosa's singing conscience. Rosa meets Nochild, a child who never received a name. Nochild connects Rosa with a group of children who slowly enter the stage. Children who did not receive what they were entitled to: their own place, a future, a parent's love, safety. They sing and chant slogans. A kind of spaceship descends, and images are projected on various screens. Time is ticking. Delicate notes are made about the fate of child soldiers and very young workers, without getting lost in sentimentality. The lively group scenes balance between collective energy and individual reflection. It is wise to keep the choreography modest and limited to ordinary movements: marching, round dances in an ordered chaos. Very beautiful is the scene that reflects their vulnerability and longing for love. What the French philosopher Levinas describes as 'la carresse'. Wrapped in a beautiful, soft, atmospheric melody. Some successes are incorporated into the whole, such as the rhythmic shuffling with pots and hand clapping. A magnificent visual image is the bird scene.
'Kruistocht' closes with an impressive final image. The entire cast is arranged in a vertical line at the front of the stage. In a slow wave movement starting from the left side, the performers place their hands in front of their eyes. Stillness, pain, beauty. World, do not be blind to the needs of children.
Actress Marjan De Schutter leads the acting with flair. It's a pity that she only had one song to sing because she has a beautiful warm voice. Soprano Laurence Servaes, Jaouad Alloul and the Coorevits brothers deliver excellent work. Yet this production leaves you hungry. The message reaches the audience fragmentarily and haltingly. It's all a bit too beautiful, too delineated, too polished to have impact. The production lacks emotional punch, although the subtle interplay between composer and musicians remains intact.
WHAT: VONK 'Kruistocht' WHERE: Opera Antwerpen
WHEN: Friday 27 October, 8 p.m.
CREDITS:Opera Ballet Vlaanderen / KOPERGIETERY
Composition: Frederik Neyrinck
Youth Orchestra Flanders
Children's Choir Opera Ballet Vlaanderen
Children Theater Workshops KOPERGIETERY
Stage Musicians: Alice Van Leuven (violin), Pablo Aranda (clarinet), Sara Salvérius (accordion)
Text, libretto, direction: Johan De Smet
Video design: Kenneth Michiels
Acting & singing: Marjan de Schutter (Rosa), Laurence Servaes (Clio), Jaouad Alloul (Apex), Lennert & Janus Coorevits