Polyphonies

Polyphony is an age-old form of musical expression: two or more melodies moving together through time. Each line is distinct, yet they complement one another. In polyphonic music, vertical harmony and horizontal flow are tightly interwoven – a model of unity in diversity. But what happens when the voices switch places? Or when the listener’s perspective shifts? What if one voice is amplified while another fades into the background? How much dissonance can the polyphonic texture endure before it begins to unravel?

Polyphonies explores polyphonic music as a social microcosm. Seventeen singers create a living soundscape, an open environment without fixed hierarchies. The performance evolves dynamically, with singers gathering in clusters, breaking apart into smaller groups, or performing as individuals. Even the conductor, Kaspars Putniņš, moves among them, guiding the ensemble through works spanning from 14th-century Guillaume de Machaut to contemporary composers such as Julia Wolfe, Caroline Shaw, Anna Thorvaldsdottir, and Kaija Saariaho.

This interplay of proximity and distance, density and openness, extends to the audience. Spectators are free to move through the space, choosing where to sit, lie, or stand, each position offering a unique acoustic experience. Every movement – whether by performers or audience members – influences the collective sound. Together, these shifting relationships create a fluid, evolving architecture, a temporary community defined by its own rules and dynamics.

In their previous works, oester has challenged archetypes of gender, examined the nature of hedonism, and brought transient art forms like performance and music theatre into the context of the grey box (museums and art galleries). Polyphonies builds on this exploration, delving into the fluidity of seemingly fixed concepts such as power, community, individuality, and equality.

Creation & performance: Flemish Radio Choir & Adja Fassa  

Conductor: Kaspars Putniņš  

Concept, stage direction & scenography: Aïda Gabriëls  

Musical programme: Alain De Ley  

Dramaturgy: Tessa Vannieuwenhuyze & Lena Meyskens

Choreographic advice: Matteo Sedda

Scenography: Anne Van Es

Music arrangements interludes & SWIM: Alexis Nootens

Costumes: Maarten Van Mulken

Production management: Sebastiaan Peeters

Production: Vlaams Radiokoor

Coproduction: Klarafestival & Muziektheater Transparant

In collaboration with Ancienne Belgique & Bozar

With the support of Tax Shelter of the Belgian Federal Government