Saturday 30 October sees the first performance of Helias, a Lunapark / Wintertuin project in which we worked together with four Dutch poets – Astrid Lampe, Mustafa Stitou, Saskia de Jong and H.H. ter Balkt. The four writers gave new life to the enigmatic mediaeval legend of Helias, alias The Knight of the Swan, known to others as Lohengrin. He is a Rhineland cowboy (‘Surprised to see mee here?’ – ‘I knew you’d come’) who saves the honor of a duchess, marries her daughter and forbids his beloved ever to ask about his past.

The music was composed by Arnold Marinissen and myself, for the musicians of Lunapark and the singers Jennifer Claire van der Hart / Fanny Alofs, alternating the concerts. Listen to the sneak preview of my music. Lyrics by Saskia de Jong, reading her own poem in the midi mockup: click on the image to listen.