Synopsis Accessibility: Audio-described performance on 31 January at 17h.
Shielded from all suffering, Siddhartha sees his life defined from the very beginning. Yet an inner voice leads him to set off in search of another destiny. Along his journey, he is confronted with different experiences until he finds meaning in the contradictions of human existence. The character created by Hermann Hesse does not correspond to the historical Buddha, but rather to a man traversed by doubts, frailties and desires.
With Hesse's novel in his pocket, Lisaboa Houbrechts, one of the most relevant directors on the contemporary international scene, reconnected with India during the pandemic. In her adaptation of Siddhartha, she builds a stage polyphony that brings together arts and cultures, reinvents characters and questions gender roles. The protagonist is performed by singer-songwriter Meskerem Mees. Structured around the music of composer Caroline Shaw, performed by a choir of 24 members, SIDDHARTHA crosses theatre, classical singing, pop improvisation, Sufi songs and Indian dance, composing a performative universe marked by a diversity of languages and references.
SIDDHARTA is a production of Toneelhuis Antwerp and KVS Brussels, in co-production with Ruhrtriennale, Dailes Theatre Latvia and Internationaal Theater Amsterdam.
«To seek means to have a goal. But to find means to be free, to stay open, to have no goal.» Siddhartha, by Herman Hesse
ARTISTIC CREDITS Concept, Libretto and Direction Lisaboa Houbrechts Based on the work of Hermann Hesse Composition Caroline Shaw Musical Direction Christian Balvig With Meskerem Mees, Shantala Shivalingappa, Claron McFadden, Oumar Dicko, Lisaboa Houbrechts / Milena Miškevica, Casper Clausen, Samuel Mariño and Zila Khan Choir Latvian Radio Choir (from Riga), made up of 24 members, under the direction of Kaspars Putninš: Aldis Andersons, Iveta Apine, Jekabs Bernats, Rudolfs Bertinš, Emils Gilucs-Lacis, Ilona Dzerve Talute, Gundars Dzilums, Nora Kalnina, Janis Kokins, Ilze Konovalova, Gundega Krumina, Janis Kurševs, Lauma Malnace, Inga Martinsone, Agnese Paunina, Daniels Pelnens, Agate Pooka, Jurgis Rats, Vitalijs Stankevics, Dace Strautmane, Vilhelms Vacietis, Inita Vindava, Shino Yamasaki and Serhii Zadorozhny Original Vocal Compositions, Voice and Harmonium UstadMa Zila Khan Soundscape Casper Clausen Soundscape Assistant Brecht Beuselinck Additional Recordings Audrey Chen (Voice), Gaspar Claus (Cello), Jon Birdsong (Brass), Markus Müller (Nebula Instruments) and André Gonçalves (ADDAC) Musical Dramaturgy Anna Chernomordik Set Design Sammy van den Heuvel Costumes Oumar Dicko Lighting Design Fabiana Piccioli Set and Costume Production Toneelhuis Direction Assistance Internship Teuntje Wolters Movement Consultancy Laura Neyskens Set Design Internship Aak van Zessen English Translation Martine Bom Production Direction Kristien Borgers and Katinka De Belder Technical Production Direction Diederik Suykens and Filip Timmerman Sound Engineering Jeroen Kenens Lighting Engineering Lies van Loock Set Engineering Ward Van Den Bossche and Victor Boni Wardrobe Kathleen Van Mechelen and Monique Van Hassel Costume Execution Costume Atelier Toneelhuis (Esther Reijnen, Tanya Maldonado