About the River and the Sea

Old stories and new sounds merge in the premiere of the immersive ritual performance About the River and the Sea by the Palestinian-Dutch Um Al Gaith Collective and World Opera Lab together with the audience. At its heart is Um Al Gaith: a rain ritual still performed in Palestine today during times of drought. New percussion compositions bring the 3,000-year-old tales of goddess Anat to life. She braved the underworld to liberate the rain. As the audience is invited to participate, these tales are transformed into a fully physical, immersive experience.

Seven artists from Palestine and the Netherlands are collaborating on this performance, which is taking shape during a week-long residency in the Kleine Zaal at the Muziekgebouw. The texts are sung and spoken in Ugaritic and Arabic, and translations are available in English and Dutch. Each performance features a guest specialist who will join the audience and artists for a post-performance discussion to reflect on the healing power of rituals and their modern-day relevance.