They Have Waited Long Enough – Circe, Medea en Penelope
In the song cycle *They Have Waited Long Enough*, Ragazze Quartet, Katharine Dain (soprano) and a rotating solo instrument retell the stories of historical and mythological women.
This concert from the cycle tells the stories of Circe, Penelope and Medea, women who all feature in Homer’s *Odyssey*. In new compositions by Aftab Darvishi, Calliope Tsoupaki and Annelies van Parys, set to texts by Gaea Schoeters, the stories of each of these mythological women are told from a different perspective, transforming them from hysterical, passive or murderous women into more nuanced characters.
The project is the result of a collaboration between Katharine Dain, Ragazze Quartet and the Wonderfeel Festival, and has so far run for three editions. For each edition, three female composers have written a piece for soprano, string quartet and a solo instrument, based on a woman from mythology or history. All the song lyrics are also written by women. They give a voice to all these women who are now – at last – able to tell their stories.
Each song combines soprano and string quartet with a solo instrument chosen by the composer to reflect the character of the woman whose story is being told. For instance, Calliope Tsoupaki chose the qanun as the solo instrument for Penelope, because she associates its sound with the sea, which evokes a certain emptiness that symbolises waiting. During this festival, the two other editions of *They Have Waited Long Enough* will also be performed: *They Have Waited Long Enough – Mother Shipton, Hecate and Maria San Juan de Garonda* on Friday 25 September at 11.00 am, and *They Have Waited Long Enough – Kassia, Suat Derviş and Şahmaran* on Saturday 26 September at 11.00 am.
Finally, the September Me festival will also see the release of the CD recorded by Ragazze Quartet, Katharine Daine and the soloists. Details will be published on the website, via the newsletter and on our social media channels.
They Have Waited Long Enough – Circe, Medea and Penelope
Never Belonged (Circe) for soprano, string quartet and duduk – Aftab Darvishi (composition) and Gaea Schoeters (text)
Medea for soprano, string quartet and clarinet – Annelies van Parys (composition) and Gaea Schoeters (text)
Penelope for soprano, string quartet and qanun – Calliope Tsoupaki (composition) and Gaea Schoeters (text)
Katharine Dain – sopranoRagazze Quartet
Raphaëla Danksagmüller – duduk
Anna Voordewind – clarinet
Osama Abdulrasol – qanun
Concept – Tamar Brüggemann, Wonderfeel
Co-producers THWLE I: Lunalia, Wonderfeel, Antwerp Liedfest, Mittelfest, November Music, OranjewoudFestival
With thanks to the Performing Arts Fund and the European Fund for Emerging Artists