Highlights

FIBER x The Rest is Noise kicks off the new year with immersive audiovisual performances. Rotterdam based duo Animistic Beliefs and artist Jeisson Drenth present the world premiere of Thức Tỉnh (Awaken). Aïsha Devi, together with visual artist Emmanuel Biard, presents the show Les Immortelles, based on her latest album Death is Home.

Animistic Beliefs + Jeisson Drenth
Animistic Beliefs' contemplative performance Thức Tỉnh touches on themes of queerness, colonialism, hope and self-expression, ultimately culminating in a rave that celebrates complexity and the genesis of new narratives. Thức Tỉnh merges ancestral narratives into modern apparitions. Drawing on traditions from Vietnamese-Chinese, Moluccan and Pre-Columbian cultures, the trio brings this heritage to life through the use of traditional instruments such as the Tifa drum and the Tayronian ceramic flute, among others. 

Aïsha Devi + Emmanuel Biard
Swiss-born Aïsha Devi is one of the most outstanding names in electronic music of the last decade. She blends a mysticism inspired by her indigenous Nepalese heritage with a sharpened club intelligence. Les Immortelles seeks to unravel the strict boundaries of life and death, suggesting experiences beyond body and spirit. It features lighting design and scenography from Emmanuel Biard.

Steven Kamperman created a new soundtrack for this enchanting film. Die Abenteuer des Prinzen Achmed (The Adventures of Prince Achmed) is the oldest surviving feature-length animated film and one of the few surviving early films made by a woman. In this performance, the expressive animation art of Lotte Reiniger forms the visual part of a musically adventurous journey, in which the melodic richness of the East blends with contemporary composed sounds and spiced improvisations.

With artistic freedom, this unique rendition of One Thousand and One Nights brings to life a flying horse, a magical lamp, playful fairies, and evil spirits. Astonishingly detailed, hand-cut silhouettes come to life with stop-motion animation against colourful backdrops. Prince Achmed serves as our hero and guide in a dazzling fairytale world, but the shape-shifting sorcerer steals the show.

With English subtitles

in collaboration with

‘It’s my favourite hall, because of the acoustics and the atmosphere.’ Says baritone Matthias Goerne in Het Parool about the Grote Zaal of the Muziekgebouw. And he performed here more often than any other lieder singer. His voice soars effortlessly above a hundred-strong orchestra, yet he can also sing with delicacy and softness. Tremendous drama with Goerne. He is joined by the young Finnish-Cuban pianist Anton Mejias. Together, they perform the famous song cycle Schwanengesang by Franz Schubert.

Schwanengesang was virtually the last composition by the then, in October 1828, only 31-year-old Schubert. The songs are among his most loved, like Der Atlas and Ständchen. Chillingly beautiful and soulful. Goerne has been at the top for 25 years; Anton Mejias is only 23, stands out with his Bach and is a rapidly rising star in the piano firmament. He has performed as a soloist under the conductors Tarmo Peltokoski and Klaus Mäkelä, two fellow young Finns who are also quickly making a name for themselves. 

Violinist Joseph Puglia embarks on a musical journey in the Asko|Schönberg series & Beyond, delving into the works of a different composer each time, and exploring the influences and relations with other composers. This time, Puglia explores the boundaries of classical music from the perspective of Hungarian composer Béla Bartók (1882-1945). Bartók collected thousands of folk melodies from his native country, but also from Algeria, Turkey, and other countries. He incorporated this folk music into his own compositions. He wrote his trio Contrasts for jazz clarinettist Benny Goodman. One of the most influential composers of the 20th century, Bartók deliberately ventured beyond the well-trodden paths of classical music. 

The other composers featured in this edition of & Beyond are also not afraid to mix styles. Helena Winkelman once played in a rock band and you can hear that in her Ciaccona for violin. Even though the chaconne is an old baroque music form, Helena asks the violinist to ‘rock’ like on an electric guitar. Richard Ayres’ Trödelmarkt is an anti-concert for violin in which the performer’s virtuosity becomes a target for playful mockery. It shifts from baroque to nightclub music, complemented by an array of home-made audio recordings.

Echoes of Nothing

Monthly fringe programme in cooperation with Conservatorium van Amsterdam
From 19:45 to 20:00, prior to the concert in the Main Hall, Pietro Elia Barcellona will play solo works for double bass in the Entrance Hall. The mini-concerts reflect on concerts from the programming in the Grote Zaal. Learn more >

Programme:
Stefano Scodanibbio Sei Studi (1981-1983).... 
Studio 1: Joke / Studio 2: Faraway / Studio 3: On Turning
Pietro Elia Barcellona Solo Piece dedicated to Scodanibbio....

Rubato is one of the most influential Turkish bands. The three-man formation excels in Turkish classical music, but has also scored hits in the pop world. The band members collaborated with many famous musicians. Today, they let their instruments speak for themselves. With only the clarinet, cello and bass, the three manage to create an exceptionally rich sound.

From the arabesque genre, immensely popular in Turkey, to classical and from pop to rap, Rubato connects all kinds of styles in a unique way. Each member of the trio is a virtuoso in their own right. Already established musical talents, cellist and singer Özer Arkun, clarinettist Göksun Çavdar, and bassist Eralp Görgün reached a wider audience through television appearances with stars like Sila and Tuğçe Kandemir.