OBV continues to sparkle and throws all the stops out in doing so, reaches all layers of the audience and their interests: opera, concerts, classical and contemporary dance and the youth also get their share, both on stage with OBV's youth choir, and in the auditorium.
'Somer & Winter' is a brand new, playful, somewhat absurd production based on an old theatrical text from the end of the 14th, beginning of the 15th century – one of the so-called abele spelen. The Middle Dutch text was largely preserved. The sounds are a pleasure to sing. The spoken texts were provided by Thomas Janssens. While the abele spelen limited themselves to courtly love, here Somer and Winter want to outdo each other on every front. Yet they don't get anywhere and a third person, the host-narrator Cockijn, portrayed by Imke Mol, provides the connection with the audience. An allegorical story in which Somer and Winter become characters and settle their feud in a musical duel. Fantastically performed by the spirited, warm and beautiful soprano Lissa Meyvis as Somer. She plays the highest scales with the greatest ease. Her rival is the rugged baritone Kris Belligh as Winter who can lower his voice chillingly to the deepest, booming bass notes.
The SPECTRA-ensemble: Pieter Jansen – violin; Ben Faes - double bass; Tille Van Gastel – flute; Julien Bénéteau - clarinet; Frank Van Eycken – percussion; Bart Cypers – horn and Frankie De Kuyper – trumpet conducted by Hans Vercauteren provide a pungent musical accompaniment live. The score was composed by Hans Vercauteren together with Lente Verelst and includes solo moments for Somer and Winter, duets and beautiful choir passages and combines classical elements with simplicity and repetition. The music guides the emotions and increases the tension.
Imagination reigns supreme
Director Kenza Koutchoukali realizes together with the SPECTRA-ensemble, Lissa Meyvis, Kris Belligh and Imke Mol a family production about stubborn convictions and desires. But then we forgot the most beautiful component: the 30-member children's choir of the opera. Enthusiastically and disciplined they stand on stage. Their performance and singing is heartwarming and brings a smile to your face. They don't stand stiff and crisp on the scene but are involved in the action. Controlling storm along, taking part in the fights between Somer and Winter. Besides that there are many playful and inventive moments. Maximum expressiveness is drawn from a simple sheet of paper. Paper is not only the carrier of stories. They fold a paper airplane with it and throw it into the audience, a moment later the papers are recovered and they imitate the sound of falling leaves and rain, a bit later a snowball fight is settled with it, etc… In a later phase Venus also appears on stage. The children try to convince the goddess to help them settle the conflict between Somer & Winter. With much flattery Venus allows herself to be convinced. She arrives just in time because Somer and Winter wanted to end their battle violently. She intervenes and reminds them that they exist by the grace of each other: that one only has meaning because the other exists in a plea for harmony. Venus dismantles the feud and reconciles Winter and Somer, because they cannot live without each other. They will henceforth alternate peacefully. In between little Cockijn: Milo Devroede (member of the Children's Choir) also gets a few beautiful parts to sing. With his pure boy soprano voice he spontaneously won the heart of the audience.
'Somer & Winter' reflects on age-old feuds and the endless cycle of the beautiful seasons each with their own character and charm. On the stage of theater 't Eilandje the youthful cast takes the audience along in a pungent and playful visual production with lush music and singing, the invisible threads that connect us to each other.
The comments from young and old afterwards were nice to register: brilliant, interesting, cool, cute, neat, slay…