20 Jun

14:15

Het Concertgebouw

Concertgebouwplein 10, 1071 LN Amsterdam, Amsterdam

Experience Hans Werner Henze's political song cycle 'Voices,' a musical mosaic of protest and reflection. This performance features a contemporary twist with new work by composers Nathalie Joachim and Karmit Fadael, performed by the London Sinfonietta.

Voices

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Composer Hans Werner Henze may have been born more than half a century ago, but his music remains vibrant. In 1974, Voices, a song cycle based on political poems from various times and corners of the world, premiered under his own direction, performed by the London Sinfonietta. In 2026, a large selection of Voices will be heard again, this time with a contemporary twist from two inspiring, young, female composers.

Nathalie Joachim is a Grammy-nominated performer and composer. Her work revolves around personal stories and human connection, with an eye for social change and cultural awareness, and is praised by The New York Times as 'powerful and unadorned.' Composer Karmit Fadael writes for orchestras and ensembles such as the Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, the Residentie Orkest, and the Amsterdam Sinfonietta.

Voices is a musical mosaic of protest and reflection, written for mezzo-soprano, tenor, electronics, and fifteen musicians who together play seventy instruments. The composition is built on political poems, where each text is enhanced and questioned by a different musical style. Themes such as exploitation, alienation, and the oppressed position of the worker still sound current today. The circumstances have changed, but the question remains: is humanity becoming alienated again from itself, its environment, and society? Is it time for a new revolution? Perhaps the voices of these new composers will provide the beginning of an answer.

A Note on the Composer: Hans Werner Henze was one of the most prominent openly gay composers of the 20th century. His work often infused his Marxist political activism with his identity as a gay man, making Voices a significant piece of queer political history.

Nathalie Joachim, composer, performer