Dick van der Harst & C°

The 'Huis der verborgen muziekjes II' picks up where 'Het huis der verborgen muziekjes' left off. With almost the same group plus a few new musicians, the composer Van der Harst continues to work on a suite whose common theme is now not only Mozart but also the Spanish flamenco legend Camarón de la Isla. When Camarón died at the age of forty-two, Spain officially declared that flamenco had been orphaned. Flamenco is Spanish for 'flamingo', but might also have derived from 'Flandes', meaning Flanders. Or is it a fusion of the Arabic 'fellah' and 'mengu', which means something like a tramp or fleeing farmer. From the very first performance of the initial 'Huis' in 2000, this project was applauded in Belgium and abroad for its far-reaching 'polyphony' and multiculturality. The key words are adventure and respect. And even though Dick van der Harst says he avoids political statements, his commitment as a human and an artist is expressed by his choice of musicians alone. Several works of his have been performed for the first time in deSingel, including 'Hark!', the marvellous soundtrack for Alain Platel's choreography 'La Tristeza Complice', comprising music by Purcell performed by two sopranos and ten accordions.