Helias was a Lunapark project together with literary production house Wintertuin. We worked together with four Dutch poets – Astrid Lampe, Mustafa Stitou, Saskia de Jong and H.H. ter Balkt. I set De Jong and Ter Balkt to music.
The poets 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.
Titles of the parts:
Inloopmuziek
(soundtrack)
opening
Zwaanridder
Je mevrouwmoeder
For Aart Strootman + H.H. ter Balkt
Ter dood, te fik
Klinkend klagende trompet
Aftiteling
Audio
Video
Scoring
(Mezzo-)soprano Soundtracks Clarinet Percussion Electric Guitar Violin Viola Violoncello
Duration
35'
More info
Commissioned by Literair Productiehuis Wintertuin.
First performance
Premiered by Lunapark, October 30, 2010, during Muziekbiënnale Niederrhein, in Het Badhuis, Nijmegen.