Festival of Flanders Mechelen

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Zefiro Torna

BALSAM. A herbal laboratory to stimulate the senses

Since days of old, people have tried to understand the healing powers of plants. Their findings were often written down in herbals. The contributions to this field by Rembert Dodoens from Mechelen are of inestimable value. Following the international success of their previous productions Les Tisserands and O, Monde Aveugle, Zefiro Torna has developed a sequel, Balsam, on the basis of this herbal lore. The compositions in the programme bear titles such as Alchemilla/Lady's Mantle, Les Roses de Saadi and Artemisia absinthium. They are set alongside traditional songs from Portugal and Greece, Old Norse Edda songs about Yggdrasil, the tree of life, spiritual melodies by Hildegard von Bingen, finely-crafted 15th century music by Guillaume Dufay and baroque splendour by Heinrich Schütz. Stef Grondelaers has described Balsam as “a synaesthetic tribute to music that explores passion, lust, love, hallucination and healing through herbs and flowers. It is a sensual quest for the point where very different repertoires and literature melt into a soothing and sonorous balsam for the mind and soul.”

ARTISTS
ZEFIRO TORNA
Elly Aerden vocals, chatkhan
Jowan Merckx flute, French bagpipes, brass, percussion, ukelele, vocals, composition
Raphaël De Cock uilleann pipes, bawu, Hardangerviool, boventoonfluiten, duduk, boventoonzang, e.a.
Philippe Laloy dwarsfluiten, sopraansax, compositie
Jean-Philippe Poncin klarinet in Bes, basklarinet
Jurgen De bruyn luit, barokgitaar, chitarrone, zang, artistieke leiding

06.05.2019
20:15 — 21:30

Manufactuur De Wit
Schoutetstraat 7
2800 Mechelen

50% musical balsam
30% herbalism
20% tapestries

PROGRAMME
with works of Hildegard von Bingen, Guillaume Dufay, Heinrich Schütz with Old Norse Edda-songs, traditional Greek and Portuguese chants.

TICKETS
15 euro (-26: 12 euro)

SOLD OUT
WAITING LIST