Holle Haven 2.0

During the first quarantine Gaea Schoeters wrote an adaptation of Paul Van Ostaijen's poem Holle Haven (Hollow Harbour) for De Buren's contaminated city project. In the months that followed, during a co-creation with pianist Lies Colman, mezzo Els Mondelaers & composer Annelies Van Parys, this text was transformed into a kind of slam 2.0 for voice, mezzo-soprano and prepared piano. By bringing together spoken word and contemporary classical music, they wanted to explore and stretch the boundaries of the genre. Photographer Sébastien Van Malleghem went to Antwerp by night and translated the music to film. And now director Sjaron Minailo is taking the final step and bringing all these elements together into a staged performance that paints a picture of the impact of the pandemic on our lives. From the loneliness of separated lovers during quarantine to the abrupt shutdown of tourism and economy, from having to die alone to the insatiable skin cravings and pent up desires.