Liesa Van der Aa / Louisa's Daughter Company [BE]
WOTH
25.02.2015
The feather of truth
What does ‘a good life’ mean? By which compass are we guided? Judgements whizz through virtual space at high speed, but the voice that once dictated the boundary between good and evil is silent. In WOTH (Weighing of the Heart), Liesa Van der Aa expresses the distress of a generation desperately searching for answers and structures against a background of constant excess. She sought and found inspiration in an ancient Egyptian ritual: after death, the heart of the deceased is weighed on scales counterbalanced by the feather of truth. Is it too heavy, too light, or in balance?
The Egyptian Book of the Dead is the visual backdrop for an overwhelming musical performance for nine musicians, enhanced by video and animation on stage. A musical and visual trip.
• Liesa Van der Aa is an actress (a.o. at Toneelhuis) and a highly individual musician. In 2012 she released the successful CD Troops. Last season she provided the music for FC Berman’s Van den Vos. WOTH is her first creation.
concept & composition Liesa Van der Aa | design & video Liesa Van der Aa, Frederik Jassogne, Guy Cassiers, Anja Perisic, Afreux beeldfabriek | costume design Anja Perisic | sound design Diederik De Cock | set design Joé Ageman | light design & technical coordination Ken Hioco | sound Roel Snellebrand | text WOTH I and WOTH II Liesa Van der Aa / WOTH III Liesa Van der Aa and Katrin Lohmann / 42 judges Liesa Van der Aa and Peter Spaepen | arrangements Liesa Van der Aa, Katrin Lohmann, Jon Birdsong, Lambert Colson, Hannes D’Hoine, Ephraïm Cielen, Sjoerd Bruil, Nathan Wouters, Arne Leurentop, Peter Spaepen (choral arrangements) | performers Liesa Van der Aa (violon, voice ), Katrin Lohmann (clarinet, organ, violin), Hannes D’Hoine (double bass, synths, guitar), Ephraïm Cielen (percussion, guitar, voice), Sjoerd Bruil (guitar, voice), Jon Birdsong (cornetto, trumpet), Lambert Colson (cornetto, flute), Arne Leurentop (violin, piano, guitar), Nathan Wouters (double bass) | actor in video Johan Leysen (Toth) | extras Marc Calus, Sylvie Chinien, Emile De Bekker, Ann Sylvie De Milliano, Sam Feyen, Hans Fuchs, Anna Gagiano, Tanja Goovaerts, Jo Helsen, Patrick Houben, Monique Jansen, Jackie Janssens, Stefan Nieuwinckel, Wim Pierloot, Cathy Pittevils, Lena Schout, Filip Sebreghts, Renate Spee, Miro Svetlik, Leslie Taelemans, Els Van der Elst, Lien Van Doorslaar, Tine Van Looveren, Annemiek Van Overfeld, Fanny Van Steen, Vanessa Verbeiren, Neslihan Yapici | dramaturgy Hanne Roofthooft | intern costume Talia Van Overberghe | production managers Ruth Sarens, Annik Laruelle | production Louisa’s Daughter Company | co-production deSingel (Antwerpen), Muziektheater Transparant (Antwerpen), Toneelhuis (Antwerpen), Handelsbeurs Concertzaal (Gent) | collaboration Kaaitheater, Flagey (Brussel), Cultuurcentrum Hasselt | support Vlaamse Overheid