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The Grief of Red Granny

LOD & Toneelhuis / Gorges Ocloo
Fri 14 Feb - Wed 26 Mar
14 Feb
-
26 Mar

17 February 1934: King Albert of Belgium climbs the cliffs of Rocher du Bon Dieu in Marche-les-Dames and falls to his death. Whereas two million Belgians reportedly witness the funeral procession, Queen Elisabeth, because of protocol is not even allowed to attend the funeral of her own husband. 


The Grief of Red Granny is the first part of a diptych on individual and collective grief. In his new AfrOpera, Gorges Ocloo places the central focus on Elisabeth, the third Queen of Belgium, aka the Red Granny. Through her story, he gives space and a voice to those who do not have an opportunity to say goodbye to their loved ones in person: the victims of wars, pandemics, terrorist attacks….

With his characteristic surreal imagery, Ocloo presents the enigmatic queen in the Garden of Eden. Here, in her ‘after death’, Elisabeth looks back on her life and speaks to us, accompanied by six angels: three vocalists and three instrumentalists, all from South Africa. The musical leitmotif is Stabat Mater by Pergolesi. “I will bring Pergolesi to my Voodoo church”, says Ocloo. His radical arrangement of this famous composition draws inspiration from African funerals. A musical confrontation between cultures. A universal sound of sorrow and celebration.

Credits

text, direction, composition Gorges Ocloo actress Tine Joustra soprano Nobulumko Mngxekeza-Nziramasanga mezzosoprano Nonkululeko Nkwinti basso profondo Ntuthuko Ziqubu guitars Charlton Daniels cello Dane Coetzee drums/percussions Carla Williams sound design Victor Hidalgo production Toneelhuis, LOD muziektheater in collaboration with  Artscape Theatre Centre Cape Town (ZA) with the support of de Tax Shelter van de Belgische federale overheid via Gallop Tax Shelter, de diplomatieke representatie van Vlaanderen in Zuid-Afrika