American singer, composer and choreographer Meredith Monk presents the world premiere of her new work Indras Net in the 76th edition of the Holland Festival. Belgian director Lisaboa Houbrechts stages a family epic that spans three generations: Vake Poes; or how God disappeared. With performance EXÓTICA, Mexican-Chilean choreographer Amanda Piña breathes new life into works by the forgotten dancers and choreographers who were successful in Europe in the early 20th century. Singer, composer and visual artist ANOHNI is associate artist for the 2023 festival. She will be involved in creating part of the festival programme, which will be announced in early March 2023.
Indras Net
Meredith Monk & Vocal Ensemble
Meredith Monk has been a composer, singer and creator of new opera and musical theatre works for more than five decades. Back in 1984, she performed at the Holland Festival with the show Turtle Dreams. She is known as one of the unique and influential artists of our time, a pioneer in 'extended vocal techniques'. In Indras Net, Monk immerses the audience in a performance with music, video and movement, inspired by a Buddhist narrative that shows the interconnectedness of all life. The Holland Festival, together with the Hartwig Art Foundation, presents the world premiere of this performance.
Gashouder: 23, 24 June 2023
EXÓTICA
Amanda Piña, nadaproductions
Amanda Piña is a Mexican-Chilean choreographer, dancer and cultural worker. Her work is concerned with the decolonisation of art, focusing on the political and social power of (physical) movement. In EXÓTICA, Piña breathes new life into the work of dancers and choreographers who were successful in Europe in the early 20th century, but were forgotten because they did not fit into the Western canon. She creates an exuberant ritual through which she seeks to connect to the heritage of her ancestors; a kind of séance, where dancers, 'femmes' and queer people of colour from the past and present challenge the audience. Re-enactment, invocation, exorcism and celebration take place during the performance.
ITA Great Hall: 6,7 June 2023
Vake Poes; or how God disappeared
Lisaboa Houbrechts, laGeste (les ballets C de la B + cabinet k)
Lisaboa Houbrechts is a director and writer. Her work is at the intersection of visual art, opera and text theatre. In the trilogy Vake Poes; of Hoe God verdween she stages a family epic that spans three generations from the perspective of a young girl. A dark narrative in which she looks back at her grandfather Vake Poes' past: his childhood, the war, sexual abuse in the brother school, the German occupation and the cruel marriage to Moeke Poes. The life stories and traumas of grandparents, parents and her own youngest generation are explored using Bach's Johannes Passion as a guide. The director explores how the small is intertwined with the big, the intimate with the political-social and the past with the present. For this grand narrative, she collaborates with actors, singers and musicians of all ages, including actress Elsie de Brauw and accordionist Philippe Thuriot.