hms oriana in bruges
(October 23, 2008)
for god's sake, what is going on with the accordion lady?
After a long Dutch summer, every news is old news. But only a couple of months ago, on August 3, Compagnie Bischoff gave a succesful premiere performance of their new music theatre show HMS Oriana. MAfestival in Bruges invited Compagnie Bischoff to produce a new music theatre work, based upon The Triumphes of Oriana dating 1601– directed by Jan Van den Bossche, and with Marieke Grootenhuis (accordion) as guest performer. "It looks as if the festive season is in full swing on board of HMS Oriana", the MAfestival website wrote.
Around a splendidly dressed table, an exuberant company is eating and drinking. The guests regularly raise their glasses, recite poetry and sing English madrigals, manyvoiced renaissance music emphasizing the merriness of the evening. But where are we exactly? Who are these guests? Who is this absent royal lady and why are they all singing towards her? And for god's sake, what is going on with the accordion lady? As the dinner continues, the different roles held by members of the party fit into a clearer general picture...
HMS Oriana was the second collaboration with Jan Van den Bossche as a director. In 2007 Van de Bossche made his debut with Lettere Amorose, based one Monteverdi madrigal, Ch'io t'ami. In 2009, Van de Bossche will be back directing a third production, titled Tenebrae, around the Lamentations by Orlando di Lasso. See our agenda for the latest concerts.