Three dancers positioned in crouched, bent, or reclining poses, their bodies expressing a sense of abandonment.

Torment of Hearts

Femke Gyselinck/GRIP & B’Rock Orchestra

A few years ago, Femke Gyselinck was introduced to Bach’s ‘dialogue cantatas’. Johann Sebastian Bach is as baroque as it gets. In his oeuvre, the dialogue cantatas occupy a special place, a rare opportunity to hear heaven and earth in conversation.

Together, Femke and B’Rock Orchestra set themselves the following challenge: What other music can be added that creates a contrast but not chaos? How can a unity be created between musical compositions from different periods and zeitgeists? What dance language can be used in the process? What dance language could they use?

The result is Torment of Hearts, in which three dancers, two singers and an ensemble of seven instrumentalists give shape to different manifestations of loneliness triggered by four pieces of music from three different centuries.

The theme of the searching soul from Bach’s dialogue cantata Liebster Jesu, mein Verlangen (1726) is also found in the song An die Einsamkeit (1717) by his contemporary Johann Philipp Krieger. We leave the world of early music with the song Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (1901) from Gustav Mahler's Rückert-Lieder. Finally, we land in the twenty-first century with new music written specially for this production by composer/keyboard player Hendrik Lasure. All this music will be performed by B'Rock Orchestra with Cecilia Bernardini on violin and singers Jonathon Adams & Kristen Witmer (Ben Kazez: tenor in Ghent, Drew Santini: tenor in Kortrijk).

Credits

Choreography
Femke Gyselinck
Dance
Amanda Barrio Charmelo, Femke Gyselinck, Thomas Vantuycom
Costumes
Nel Maertens in collaboration with Woche Jewelry (Clarisse Bruynbroeck)
Scenography
Aslı Çiçek
Assistence scenography
Olivia de Bree
Internship scenography
Francesca Desantis
Lights
Elke Verachtert
Live sound
Milan Van Doren
Mix recording
Dries D'Hondt
Technician on tour and execution scenography
Jan Lettany
Dance dramaturgy
Steven Michel
Booklet
Nick Mattan, Nel Maertens
Teaser and trailer
Robbrecht Desmet
Music concept
Femke Gyselinck, Jan Van den Borre
Music
Johann Sebastian Bach, Johann Philipp Krieger, Gustav Mahler, Hendrik Lasure
B’Rock Orchestra
Cecilia Bernardini, Nele Vertommen, Jonathon Adams, Kristen Witmer, Ben Kazez, Drew Santini, Rebecca Huber, Raquel Massadas, Julien Barre, Tom Devaere, Claudio Ribeiro
Production
GRIP & B’Rock Orchestra
International distribution
A propic – Line Rousseau, Marion Gauvent
Co-production
Concertgebouw Brugge/Dans in Brugge, STUK, Perpodium
Residencies
Maison de la danse Marseille, Concertgebouw Brugge and Cultuurcentrum/Dans in Brugge, P.A.R.T.S, KWP Kunstenwerkplaats, Kunstencentrum nona, Rosas Performance Space, GC De Kriekelaar, Kunstencentrum Buda, Workspace Brussels – Studio Les Brigittines, CAMPO
Thanks to
Jo Heijens, Monty, Rataplan
With the financial support of
The Flemish Government, the Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government via Cronos Invest, the European Festivals Fund for Emerging Artists – EFFEA, an initiative of the European Festivals Association (EFA), co-funded by the European Union

Images

  • Three dancers reach outward into different parts of the space, their bodies stretching through broad, expansive motions.
    © Robbrecht Desmet
  • Two dancers in the foreground with instrumentalists and vocalists behind them on a stage lit in pink.
    © Robbrecht Desmet
  • Two dancers move on a bright white stage, the floor patterned with soft, lattice-like shadows created by the lighting.
    © Robbrecht Desmet