About the River and the Sea
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Sat 23 May 202616:00 - 17:30Excl. drankjeKleine Zaal
Program
Palestanian stories and music about water and healing
Post-performance discussion with psychiatrist Donna Muller
Credits
Rasha Hilwi narrator
Sabra Bahri Khatri soprano
Haytham Safia oud
Wendy Palomeque marimba, percussion
Mary-Ann Jaraisy set design, installation
Miranda Lakerveld director
Tip: There are still tickets available for Sunday 24th May and Monday 25th May!
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.
