As long as he does not know himself

Music theatre
At the beginning of the story of the passion and death of Narcissus, as recorded in Ovid’s Metamorphoses, the beautiful nymph Liriope asks the blind seer Tiresias whether her child Narcissus will have a long life and reach a fine old age… He augures: ‘As long as he does not know himself’.

The inexhaustible metaphorical strenght of Ovid’s metamorphoses reflects up to the present day. Echo, only able to repeat the roughly or carefully predigested in a fragmentary and inattentive manner, dematerializes at long last, floating around aimlessly. Likewise, the selfie-addicted exhibisionist in the virtual cobweb too often meets a tragic fate. Ultimate mutations.

In this performance Ovid’s compelling verses underpin the graphical discourse. Josse de Pauw narrates the myth of Echo and Narcissus. Meanwhile the ink drawings, sprouting rhythmically from the paintbrush of artist/performer Koenraad Tinel are projected on a large screen. They vividly dialogue with the sounds emanating from Frederik Neyrinck.

Live interactions continuously generate new transfigurations …

Programme & credits

CREDITS

Concept
Koenraad Tinel, Josse de Pauw

Text
based on the story of Narcissus (from Ovidius' Metamorfoses)

Text adaptation
Josse de Pauw

Composition
Frederik Neyrinck (°1985)

Performed by
SPECTRA
Sopraan, Lieselot De Wilde

Production
SPECTRA and LOD muziektheater

Coproduction
Concertgebouw Brugge

with the support of the Tax Shelter measure of the Belgian federal government.

Calendar

Friday 14 December 2018, 20:30
Tielt, Theater Malpertuis
Friday 21 December 2018, 20:00
Oostende, De Grote Post
Thursday 10 January 2019, 20:30
Strombeek-Bever, CC Strombeek
Sunday 13 January 2019, 20:15
Antwerpen, Arenberg schouwburg
Saturday 09 February 2019, 20:15
Gent, Handelsbeurs

Media